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percy-l - Re: [percy-l] The Moviegoer elem ed

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Subject: Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion on Walker Percy

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  • From: "Gray, Rich" <RGray AT montreat.edu>
  • To: <Jim AT AutumnLeavesBandB.com>, "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion" <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [percy-l] The Moviegoer elem ed
  • Date: Sat, 13 May 2006 20:09:11 -0400

The Moviegoer definitely surprises readers who expect a plot-driven novel.
These readers can enjoy satire and philosophical reflection, if the ideas
adhere to the skeleton of a suspenseful story. Moviegoer, lacking such a
plot of rising action-climax-falling action, substitutes Binx's monolog. I
like to think of this style of writing as prose-poetry. What stands out
artisticallyf or me is the poetry of Binx describing his life at a
philosophical turning point. The half-page passages of eloquent, terse,
metaphoric strikes me like a Robert Browning dramatic monolog.

Students may like learning Kierkegaard's three modes of belief: aesthetic,
ethical, and religious (Binx pursuing Sharon, Aunt Emily lecturing Binx, and
Binx contemplating the search). An earlier post mentioned using in class a
few Percy essays. I like that approach, as Percy had huge success as an
essayist--one of America's most articulate novelists, both in essay and
interview. Percy didn't just blab -- he used essay and interview as artistic
modes, in support of his novel-writing.

This is a fruitful string of posts. Moviegoer is a top ten novel in the post
WWII era, and we have the opportunity of introducing Moviegoer to a new
generation of readers.

Rich Gray

<<winmail.dat>>



  • Re: [percy-l] The Moviegoer elem ed, Gray, Rich, 05/13/2006

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