Power of Blind Faith in Tetralogy of Wimon Sainimnuan

Abstract

The tetralogy of Wimon Sainimnuan is composed of four novels: Ngu (1984), Khon Song Chao (1988), Khok Phra Nang (1989), and Chao Phaen Din (1995), each of which illustrates thoughtless faith of rural villagers that influence different actions and behaviours towards local beliefs, ritual experts, and belief protesters.       The study reveals the senseless obedience to local beliefs of majority of Khok Phra Nang villagers and their hostility against protesters. The villagers also absolutely deny being proved of validation of beliefs. The novels point out the terrible consequences of thoughtless faith to believers, belief protesters, and society. The villagers, in the author’s point of view, are accordingly not victims of the extreme faith and beliefs, but the key factor of the deeply rooted credulity in society. As the villagers are voluntarily and innocently deluded by ritual experts, their hometowns eventually end up with calamity.