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percy-l - Re: [percy-l] LITR

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

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  • From: "RHONDA MCDONNELL" <rhonda_mcdonnell AT msn.com>
  • To: percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [percy-l] LITR
  • Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 22:44:05 -0700

wasn't the first one you mention the guy that wore the jumpsuits and acts more like a building super than a priest? Jack Curl maybe? The second was Fr. Weatherbee, whose rant regarding the behavior of Americans is genius--wasn't the quote something about his silly (or simple), holy face? Weatherbee is definitely linked to Fr. Smith. He seems to be daft but he's really the one that's onto something that no one else is paying attention to. He knows the truth of things. That's why Will asks him the important questions. Worth noting is that the priests in 2nd Coming are Anglican (as is the priest Lance is named for in Lancelot).

--Rhonda
The best lack all convictions, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity. -- WB Yeats


From: <Robert_Pauley AT oxy.com>
Reply-To: "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion" <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
To: <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [percy-l] LITR
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 10:23:07 -0700

A couple of priests played pivotal roles in The Second Coming. I don't
recall his name, but the parish priest always trying to encourage Will
Barrett to join his church's men's group outings and otherwise come
"into the fold" was one, and represented the kind the extreme
earnestness which Percy, or at least Barrett, found simultaneously
cloying and yet not unimportant to a community. The second was an
older, former renegade missionary who jolts Will into his final,
redemptive awareness that "a gift may be a sign of a giver." I found
this Percy novel to be his most accomplished and accessible: a solidly
grounded meditation on suburban malaise and self-delusion, an effective
and prescient social satire (Will's daughter's "new-age" enthusiasms are
hilarious), and a touching love story. Not easy to pull off. It
tracked a character straight through from the impulse to suicide to a
saving awareness without ever resorting to the kind of dopey flourishes
of so many other social satires of the time - and afterward. Basically,
Will Barrett loses his mind without ever losing his head. I also
appreciated the fact that it followed up on Will Barrett after leaving
him off in a Santa Fe wasteland so many years before.

Peace.

________________________________

From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Dye, Steve
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 7:35 AM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: Re: [percy-l] LITR


You are asking a very loaded question - it will be interesting to see
the responses you get!

Steven L. Dye, MA
Director
Bluegrass MH-MR Board, Inc.
1500 Leestown Road, Suite 338
Lexington, KY 40511

-----Original Message-----
From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Gray, Rich
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 10:31 AM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: Re: [percy-l] LITR



________________________________

From: Dye, Steve [mailto:sldye AT bluegrass.org]
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 9:43 AM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion

Have any of you considered the role of priests in Percy's novels? Is
there any common thread?

In The Moviegoer is there a priest? The role grows into a main
character in The Thanatos Syndrome, Father Reynaldo Smith. There must
be a purpose for these priests.

As a Protestant Christian, I would like to know if Catholic Percy
readers see any of these priests as realistic.

Rich Gray


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