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

["Jonathan Potter" <jdp AT scn.org>]

You're absolutely right.  I guess it just seemed like Fr. Weatherbee ought to be RC in the Percyan scheme of things. 

 

I couldn't find a discussion of their being episcopalians in the two collections of interviews, but I did find one reference, where the interviewer, Peggy Castex, remarks that sometimes it's hard to tell whether Percy's protagonist "is on the right track or the wrong track, whether he is deluded or has got part of the message which may lead him to the whole truth." 

 

To which Percy replies: "You ought to know as a displaced American, latterday French lady that a writer cannot get away with theological revelations.... Of course the key is at the end of the novel.  It involves Will's relationship with Allie and the the nutty old priest [Weatherbee] who is out of his mind, but may be saner than the younger priest [Curl]." (More Conversations, p. 48)

 

I guess you could expand the original question about priests to consider Catholics and/or other believers that appear in Percy's novels.  Val would be one to consider for sure.  And I would add Lonnie from The Moviegoer, along with Fr. Smith and Percival.  I'm not sure I'd lump Fr. Boomer in LG in with the Fr. Curl type; it seems to me he does a pretty serviceable job with Jamie's baptism -- but I can't remember whether he appears earlier.
 

--Jonathan

 

 

On 4/9/06, RHONDA MCDONNELL <rhonda_mcdonnell AT msn.com> wrote:

You're right, Episcopalian is the American term.  For what it's worth,
chapter 12 begins, "Father Weatherbee sat behind Jack Curl's mahogany desk
with its collection of Russian ikons and bleeding Mexican crucifixes." Both
Weatherbee and Curl are Episcopalian. What I can't remember is why Percy
made them Episcopalian. He discusses it in an interview, but I don't have
the time to dig it up. While I'm here in chapter 12, Fr. Weatherbee's rant:

How can we be the best earest most generous people on earth, and at the same
time so unhappy? How harsh everyone is here! How restless! How impatient!
How worried! How sarcastic! How unhappy! How hateful! How pleasure-loving!
How lascivious! Above all, how selfish! Why is it that we have more than any
other people, are more generous with what we have, and yet are so selfish
and unhappy? Why do we think of hothing but our own pleasure? I cannot
believe my eyes at what I see on television. It makes me blush with shame.
Did you know that pleasure-seeking leads to cruelty? That is why more and
more people beat their children. Children interfere with pleasure. Do you
hate children? Why can't we be grateful for our great blessings and thank
God? . . . Why is it that Americans who are the best dearest most generous
people on earth are so unhappy?"

He's definitely in the same vein as Father Smith. And Boomer (wasn't that
his name?) is Last Gentleman is of the Jack Curl type. The question
beginning of this line of thought, regarding Percy's priests, is a good one.
It looks like he's working from two types--my question is, can Val from Last
Gentleman be grouped with Frs. Weatherbee and Smith?
--Rhonda
The best lack all convictions, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity. -- WB Yeats


>From: "Jonathan Potter" <jdp AT scn.org>
>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>
>Subject: Re: [percy-l] LITR
>Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2006 10:02:24 -0700
>
>I thought Fr. Weatherbee (the priest Will questions at the end, grabbing
>his
>arm) was Roman Catholic.  It's been awhile since I've read it, but I'm
>pretty sure it was just the priest earlier in the book that was
>Anglican/Episcopalian.
>
>Jonathan Potter
>Spokane WA
>
>
>On 4/8/06, RHONDA MCDONNELL < rhonda_mcdonnell AT msn.com> wrote:
> >
> > 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
> >
> >
> > >--
> > >An archive of all list discussion is available at
> > >http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/percy-l/
> > >
> > >Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
> >
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> > --
> > An archive of all list discussion is available at
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> >
> > Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
> >


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>
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