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

["RHONDA MCDONNELL" <rhonda_mcdonnell AT msn.com>]

You're right, Boomer is servicable, but he clearly doesn't "get it." Of 
course, neither does Will. Remember, he asks Sutter, "What happened back 
there?" And Sutter is the only one who knows--what does that say about 
Sutter? Perhaps that's why he's still around for Will to send his letter to 
in SC.

--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 16:24:18 -0700
>
> 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
> > > > >https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/
> > > > >
> > > > >Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
> > > >
> > > > _________________________________________________________________
> > > > Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's
> > >FREE!
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> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > An archive of all list discussion is available at
> > > > https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/
> > > >
> > > > Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
> > > >
> >
> >
> > >--
> > >An archive of all list discussion is available at
> > >https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/
> > >
> > >Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's 
> FREE!
> > http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
> >
> > --
> > An archive of all list discussion is available at
> > https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/
> >
> > Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
> >


> --
> An archive of all list discussion is available at 
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/
>
> Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy

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