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

[Lauren Stacy Berdy <lauren.stacy.berdy AT gmail.com>]

Our thoughts have limitations 

How do we approach a question ?

I see below that it has been approached by conclusion 

I was starting an investigation that's all

Hilary Mantel made flesh what others deemed written in stone 

Watch where your own conclusions come from and you will get a taste of Henry himself

Or Sir Thomas More.

Cromwell lived in the present no matter what you conclude he was a most modern man

He gave his complete attention to observing the chaos about him. 

Whatever you might conclude of him he wasn't a second hand person.

Thank you 

Sent from my iPad

On May 2, 2015, at 2:30 PM, janetcantor37--- via Percy-L <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org> wrote:

Cromwell and More remained confidants and friends in this series. Cromwell tried to be honest with More in the end and show him his hypocrisies to try to give him some self knowledge and save him, but More wanted the martyrdom it looks like. What to More looked like principle to others looked like foolishness. But More wanted to preserve the Church of Rome for England and Henry wanted a son and needed to dilute its influence. I don't think Henry comes off looking a whole lot more principled than More in this series. Cromwell is just discrete and using his influence to do what's best for Cromwell. 

In fact I think More has the argument on his side, except for his own cruelties.

Perhaps Percy called his character Tom More to reflect on present day challenges of consciences of faith. If the world is going to the dogs, then someone who is trying to correct humanity, whether through mental health examination and lapsometers or eventually coming home to faith could easily be seen as a current day More.

Percy was irritated at the excesses of those around him who were forgetting the Church of Rome and he is showing the hubris and destruction of people trying to play G-d - and that's what the two More novels were satires of.

All Percy novels may begin as funhouses but they all return home to faith.

Janet Cantor

---

From: Lauren Stacy Berdy <lauren.stacy.berdy AT gmail.com>
To: percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Saturday, May 2, 2015 1:37 PM
Subject: [percy-l] Walker Percy, Sir Thomas More and Tom More

I was wondering if anyone else thought of Dr Tom More while reading or
watching Wolf Hall?

Read Both "Wolf hall" and "Bring up the Bodies" and now watching "Wolf
Hall"  unfold on the T.V.

Here is what this reader and watcher has noticed and wondered if others
have anything to add?.

Sir Thomas More was an intellect. He also had the fateful gift of pride
( Percy once said he too had this fateful gift) Pride seemed to be his
undoing?
  His mind was his authority not his heart.He had no problem torturing
others. His mental constructions came from his intellect.
Therefore, he thought he had the right to hurt others which he did a
lot! He thought he know better or knew something. He did not. He had
self enhancing pieties and was full of himself.
he became a martyr of the Catholic church .............Percy thought
so.........

History had always made Cromwell the demon........... he helped Henry
dissolve the church and  papal authority within England. Hilary mantel
is a novelist. Novelist bring out factors that others leave behind. She
has brought Cromwell forward and given him his due. From where I stand
long over due..........

Now  Dr. Tom More narrating "Love in the Ruins" says these days of
"Christ forgetting, Christ haunted death dealing western world".No new
Jerusalem etc
Is Percy's Tom More a cynical version of  Sir Thomas More?  Dr More was
a diagnostician he wanted to diagnose and heal. ( the deep abscesses in
our souls) with the lapsometer. I cant see that part of Sir Thomas
More..........as I have read and watch. What do they have in common?
other than their name and why did Percy name him Dr Tom More?
I haver read LITR many times and I feel that I know Tom and how he went
the distance to test his own soul if you will.......he also had the gift
of loving kindness
Sir Thomas More did not......maybe he imagined in his head and could
imagine a future "Utopia" but while on the ground in flesh he wasn't
very nice.

he needed a flask of bourbon...............










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