Walker Percy

[Leonard Hughes <leonardh6363 AT gmail.com>]

 

Dear Percyphyles…

Before the next discussion round drops tomorrow, I wanted to follow up on this week’s Slow Read.

First, I want to take the blame for raising the spectre of political correctness. I am grateful for many of your reassuring responses, including Janet’s, Karey’s and Rhonda’s—and especially Doug’s reminder of the atmosphere of the early ‘70s when “Love in the Ruins” was published.

(Meanwhile, it wasn’t Janet who asked the question about “description,” as Karl mentioned—the question came from me again. Sorry about the confusion. And, Karl, I’m still searching for that one description, hoping for those bonus points!)

It was certainly gratifying when Wade brought up Randy Newman in connection with the topic, and when Doug elaborated on it and continued the relation to the “unreliable narrator.” I confess I’m a Newman groupie…I think he’s the best (among other qualities) lyricist going, and love it to hear his name linked with Percy. Both of them write brilliantly about the South and are masters of the unreliable narrator--particularly unusual for a lyricist (Bernie Taupin also comes to mind).

May I recommend Newman’s less-famous album “Land of Dreams,” which is unusually (for him) autobiographical, starting from his innocent “baby days” in New Orleans to his experience with a jilted love affair, winding up with a series of angry voices and the anthem “It’s Money That Matters.” I take it that Newman is illustrating that the shocks of experience resulted in his adopting masks to avoid expressing his personal emotions. Anyhow, it’s a great album.

I bring all this up because I wonder about the brilliance of Randy Newman taking a back seat to his Disney soundtracks, which are fine, but less, uh, interesting. And I think the daring use of unreliable narrators has led to popular confusion linking the characters’ voices with both writers, Newman and Percy.

Thank you for your wise understanding, and for allowing me to go on and on!

Leonard