3. Why does Augustine "interrupt his narrative to tell us about how Alypius became addicted to the violence of the gladiatorial contests?
Augustine takes time to explain how Alypius became addicted to the gladiator fights because he is showing how Alypius was shaped by this event and his salvation form it. He shows how easy it is for humans to fall into sin by comparing Alypius' will to not look at the fight to the actualy fight. As soon as he looked up, it was like the gladiator falling dead because his heart had fallen. He then shows that God saved him from this death inside himself, and he was ultimately restored. Augustine writes, "The foregoing episode was stored up in his memory and contributed to his future healing, as also did another." This episode was to show Alypius' healing and shaping, as well as showing how easily humans fall into sin.
Augustine also demonstrates that the human will alone is not enough to "save" one from depravity. Although the human will must be engaged, there is a need for a supernatural transformation.
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