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

[<Robert_Pauley AT oxy.com>]

Right on. I was introduced to Percy through my brother, who was teaching
a section of Robert Coles' "Moral Inquiry" class at Harvard.
"Moviegoer" was on the reading list.  I'd always considered Percy an
"important" and therefore boring novelist (perhaps because one of his
books was fixed high on my mother's shelves next to "The Tin Drum" and
some Dreiser novel; as a child, I read only for fun).   But "The
Moviegoer" floored me. It was almost as if coming upon some kind of
treasure map to the mind. I'll never forget the opening passages, with
musing on the satisfactions of domestic identity, lying in bed at his
Aunt's house staring up at the ceiling medallion, or the strange but
wonderful image of Aunt Emily as a "young Prince," or, of course,
describing the secret thrill of being "onto something." Reading Percy, I
just felt better about everything. Nomino ergo sum.

I can't really remember Coles' take on Percy. But I've never been
terribly interested in or enlightened by critiques of Percy.  And my
eyes glaze over at the semiotics stuff.  Percy must be experienced. He
is the most "useful" novelist I've ever come across. I'm not sure how he
pulls it off. Nothing much happens in his novels, yet everything does. 

Thanks to this list, I am now re-reading The Moviegoer.   

-----Original Message-----
From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Dye, Steve
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 6:32 AM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: Re: [percy-l] The Moviegoer

I couldn't have said it better myself - I first happened upon Percy in a
novels class in college in the mid-70's. Had never heard of Percy. I was
enthralled by The Moviegoer and then came upon "Love in the Ruins" while
vacationing in New Orleans in the mid-80s just looking for something
interesting to read by the pool in the afternoons while waiting for the
evenings in the Quarter. I was stunned at how that book resonated with
me and I became a Percy "devotee" also for sheer pleasure.  Percy has,
in many ways, changed my life. I am also not an academic and wonder
sometimes if this site is a little too "academic"....Percy, as dead
serious as he is, also makes me laugh out loud. I think he was one of
the great "human beings"....

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 Karl M. Terrell
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 1:41 PM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: Re: [percy-l] The Moviegoer

* * This communication is CONFIDENTIAL * * 




I took an American literature intro class at your university/my alma
mater, UNC-CH, in the late 70s (I was not an English major), and it was
then and there that I was introduced to Percy.  We read the Moviegoer.
I've been under his spell ever since, having read everything he has
written, solely for pleasure.  

I don't pretend to know why I got turned on to this particular writer;
I'm not the literary type, and don't analyze such things.  I just
appreciate good writing, by a writer who has something to say, and
peppers it along with wonderful observations about the planet and the
people around us. 

Karl

-----Original Message-----
From: mitchdl AT email.unc.edu [mailto:mitchdl AT email.unc.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 10:43 AM
To: percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [percy-l] The Moviegoer

I just finished teaching The Moviegoer at the end of a Southern Lit
class and was surprised at how well the students responded.  Granted,
this was an upper-level course composed of English majors (and one
sociology major!), so it's a different bag from an intro course.

I think there's less of a problem with TMG seeming dated now than there
would have been in the eighties/nineties, for the simple reason that the
references are absolutely meaningless to students now (William
Holden??).  They take them purely as fictional names and judge the
meaning by the context, instead of partially recognizing and depositing
them in the 'fogey' bin.

The predicament, of course, is unchanged and worse now than ever.

Most surprising, though, was the response to Kate.  If any character
might be said to be a bit overdrawn, it's Kate, but the students (all
female) immediately recognized a familiar type.  This, I would say, is
one path into TMG with these students.  It helps that mine tend to be
notably less ideologically driven readers, so they don't get distracted
with the "She's dependent on a man!" business.  They understand more
about desperate times and desperate measures.

Since this is an intro class, however, TMG will leave many students
flat.  So my recommendation would be to divide the class as the world is
divided:  those who love Percy (TWLP) and those who hate Percy (TWHP),
or sheep and goats. Take the class outside and let the TWHPers loll
about on the grass with their Ipods while the TWLPs palpitate their
frontal lobes and gaze ironically at the former group.

All the best,

Doug




Quoting "Beck,  David A" <dabeck AT iupui.edu>:

> Friends,
> A few weeks (months?) ago, someone posted a message about the success 
> of teaching The Moviegoer to a high school class. (I'm thinking it was
> Rhonda.) But the email encouraged me to try it once again, in my Intro

> to Lit class this summer. Most of the class will be bright-faced, 
> eager to learn, college freshman--well, college freshman anyway.
> The Moviegoer is one of my favorites, but it's also one that I've 
> never taught successfully. Most thought it was too weird (I 
> interpreted that as being too dated--replace Tony Curtis with Tom 
> Cruise, etc.) But if high schoolers got it, then maybe it is the way
I've been teaching it.
> Lancelot has always gone over well in my 200-level lit classes. And 
> Love in the Ruins also works pretty well, though it's a little too 
> long. But TMG is such a great book that I thought I needed to give it 
> one more try. I'm re-reading it now and am really enjoying it again.
> So my question is (to the list and to Rhonda, if she is the one who 
> posted the email): What is a good way of presenting this novel that is

> dated (in its references) but is as timely now (if not more so) than 
> ever to college freshman?
> Any help will be much appreciated. The class doesn't begin until 6/26.
> Thanks.
> -David
>
>
> --
> 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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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