Re: Moviegoer and despair


Subject: Re: Moviegoer and despair
From: David Alan Beck (dabeck@IUPUI.EDU)
Date: Thu Nov 18 1999 - 12:31:56 EST


Rhonda,
I agree that the scene with the children is an example of the Percean
religious sphere (more Marcellian than Kierkegaardian). I would argue,
though, that the "ascension" to the religious is made before that scene.
A telling example is when Binx decides to go to medical school. He states:

"There is only one thing that I can do: listen to people, see how they
stick themselves to the world, hand them along a ways in their dark
journey, and be handed along, and for good and selfish reasons."

This passage gives a good indication of Binx's realization of the need for
intersubjectivity. Notice how he wants to listen to others and watch them
(treating them as 'thous') and help them. What I see as important is that
he is not out to "fix" others; he also wants to be "handed along." In
other words, it is a two-way street. He is not objectifying another as
"patient", "one needing help," etc. but as a fellow-wayfarer whom he can
help and by whom he can be helped (sorry for the stuffy academic-sounding
sentence).

Of course, the "stages" or, I think more accurately, the "spheres," are
not static. We move in and out with fluidity. But it seems that the
evidence of his "ascent" happens in this section.

Any thoughts?

David Beck

"Our life is a faint tracing on the surface of mystery, like the idle,
curved tunnels of leaf miners on the face of a leaf."
                                                    - Annie Dillard
                                          from "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek"

On Wed, 17 Nov 1999, Rhonda McDonnell wrote:

> Jim--Not only does the Augustine reference shed some light on the despair
> topic, but might also have something to do with W.P.'s take on the
> Kierkegaard's stages. In an interview, Percy said something to the effect
> that he agrees with S.K. regarding the aesthetic and the ethical stages, but
> when it comes to the Religious stage, Kierkegaard got it all wrong. What
> follows then is, if I remember rightly, Percy's assertion that the Religious
> stage must, in part, be communal (to use your language). Augustine's
> influence might be coming into play there. So, in the last scene of The
> Moviegoer, when Binx tells the children Lonnie will rise on the last day and
> be as they are and the children shout hurray (a la Dostoyevsky), Binx's
> ascension to the religious stage happens there because, in part, of his
> relationship with the children. Not surprisingly, he seems free of despair
> and malaise as well.
>
> Rhonda McDonnell
> Arizona State University
>
> >From: Jim Woods <TrlBlzrOne@AOL.COM>
> >Reply-To: Walker Percy Literary and Philosophic Topics
> ><PERCY-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
> >To: Multiple recipients of list PERCY-L <PERCY-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
> >Subject: Re: Moviegoer and despair
> >Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1999 07:23:39 EST
> >
> >Re: the thread on despair I offer some ruminations...
> >
> >For an eye opener I commend reading Augustine's Confessions, particularly
> >his
> >discussion of his conversion. Key to that were his contacts through his
> >mother with the Christian community...both in the form of prayer and in the
> >form of catechesis. In other words, the move from gnostic despair to faith
> >on Augustine's part involved not simply a personal change of view, but
> >movement toward a community and finally, participation in a community in
> >which despair is seen for what it is:angelism/aestheticism as a prop for
> >pride. Despair can be a waystation on the journey toward faith or it can
> >become the final 'blind spot' of pride.
> >
> >A contrast with Augustine, and a fine presentation of the
> >angelism/aestheticism is Rouseau's Confessions. His writing epitomizes
> >what
> >Kierkegarrd meant by 'despair not being aware that it is despair--e.g. the
> >'final blind' spot of pride. Rouseau, if he were alive would be on ALL the
> >talk shows...
> >
> >Relative to the discussion of this thread here, there is a fine essay (a
> >commencement address, actually) by Marion Montgomery in the October Issue
> >of
> >First Things which can be found
> >at:http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9910/opinion/montgomery.html The
> >essay's title is Angelism and the Provincial Self. This might interest
> >some
> >on the board.
> >
> >And, in closing, a Blessed and happy Thanksgiving to all!
> >
> >jim
> >
>
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