[percy-l] "What's so great about this Percy guy, anyway?"
RHONDA MCDONNELL
rhonda_mcdonnell at msn.com
Thu Sep 1 20:28:27 EDT 2005
Here in Arizona, my students are trying to wrap their minds around the
devastation and find themselves unable to make a complete connection. A few,
who had dreamed of attending Tulane, realize that their own hopes have been
dashed. I hope by extension they can begin to understand the utter
devastation those students who would have been their classmates are facing.
For the most part, though, hurricanes are the stuff of movies and, for most
of them, so is New Orleans (along with Mississippi and Alabama). The images
they see in the newspapers and on tv are somehow cheapened by the special
effects wizardry that their usual fare consists of. Tomorrow, I'll give them
excerpts from Percy's "New Orleans, Mon Amour" with the hope that his
descriptions of New Orleans in all its vitality (and troubles) can do what
images cannot--that words can bridge the gap. I guess that's what makes
Percy so good--at least for me. When reading him the gaps are bridged. The
reference to his "Man on the Train" essay reminds me of his theory that a
true literature of alienation does not exist because the novel about the
alienated person forges a connection with the alienated reader, thereby
dispelling alienation. It seems my students are alienated from this
tragedy--I hope Percy will do the trick.
In the meantime, I watch this list, encouraged by your words, and searching
for the same names we're all looking for, and I pray.
A final question: If Girard connects with Percy, which of Girard's works
makes for a good first time experience?
>From: dabeck at iupui.edu
>Reply-To: "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion"
><percy-l at lists.ibiblio.org>
>To: "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion"
><percy-l at lists.ibiblio.org>,Patrick Lynch <padraig at well.com>
>CC: "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion"
><percy-l at lists.ibiblio.org>
>Subject: Re: [percy-l] "What's so great about this Percy guy, anyway?"
>Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2005 09:22:19 -0500
>
>Patrick,
>I like your "sidestep" into Girard. Next to Kierkegaard and Marcel, I
>probably
>refer to him (in class) more than any other philosopher (though he
>considers
>himself an anthropologist). I was wondering if you might elaborate on the
>connection you touched on.
> While I'm not sure how many here are familiar with Girard's work, I think
>it
>would be great to discuss how some of his ideas are manifested in Percy.
>(They
>seem to be manifested everywhere else, especially his take on mimetic
>desire.)
> BTW, someone mentioned that these crises can bring out the best and worst
>in
>us. I saw footage of the looting and have now heard evacuation of the Super
>Dome has been halted, because someone is firing on the choppers. Crazy
>world.
>-David
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