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

[Karey Perkins <kareyperkins AT gmail.com>]

The novel begins with an epigram, a quote from Dante’s Purgatorio:

“He sank so low that all means

   for his salvation were gone,

    except showing him the lost people.

For this I visited the region of the dead.”

... and Lancelot is living next to Lafayette Cemetary....  “a patch of sky, a corner of Lafayette Cemetary, a slice of leve, and a short stretch of Annunciation Street.”

It ends, “Very well.  I’ve finished. Is there anything you wish to tell me before I leave?” 

Leaving purgatory for heaven?  

For Percy, the answer is in communication and relationship and Lance is now ready to forge authentic relationships.

The word Percival gives Lance is a YES.  

Hmmm, Tom, I think you are on to something.

KP

Sent from my iPad

On Jul 16, 2020, at 5:46 PM, Karey Perkins <kareyperkins AT gmail.com> wrote:

Doesn’t Tom mean LANCELOT is the one that died in the explosion?  

I find that idea intriguing, too, and quite viable.  Lancelot is now in purgatory, working through his sins with Percival, the priest/confessor/angel/friend?  Or, working them out by himself, his own monologue, until he comes to the end of his “confession” and is now able to “hear” the Word. 

Echoes of “The Sixth Sense.”

KP

Sent from my iPad

On Jul 16, 2020, at 4:50 PM, Michael Larson <larsonovic AT gmail.com> wrote:



Tom,

Thanks for the note. I find the idea that Percival has died in the explosion to be intriguing. Would his final visit to Lance then be that of a ghost? Are you suggesting that what he has to tell Lance comes from beyond the grave?

I'm not following the end of your thought, though. They might have two different ideas of heaven, but I don't see how there can be poison in both ideas, especially if we allow, as the two men do, that it cannot be both, objectively. And further, though they might both "pick" an idea, the reality remains indifferent to their choices. It just is what it is.

But do steer me differently if I have not understood your meaning.

Best,

Mike

On Thu, Jul 16, 2020 at 11:07 AM <percy-l-request AT lists.ibiblio.org> wrote:

Send Percy-L mailing list submissions to
        percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
        https://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/percy-l
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
        percy-l-request AT lists.ibiblio.org

You can reach the person managing the list at
        percy-l-owner AT lists.ibiblio.org

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Percy-L digest..."


Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Debt Forgiveness and Lancelot (Thomas Gollier)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2020 06:20:29 -0700
From: Thomas Gollier <tgollier AT gmail.com>
To: "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion"
        <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [percy-l] Debt Forgiveness and Lancelot
Message-ID:
        <CAMVPF1GuFFQTv0Dy2o2q=MHKNDRjApqhWC=Va_4StF8XVmM+bw AT mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Mike,

Perhaps Percival wants to tell Lance is that he too died in the explosion?
That what they're talking
about is two versions of heaven, and while it's "not both" objectively,
it's more a matter of picking
your own poison for each of them.

Thanks,
Tom




On Wed, Jul 1, 2020 at 3:38 PM Michael Larson <larsonovic AT gmail.com> wrote:

> Debt forgiveness is for the ignorant (those who know not what they do) and
> for the repentant, those who are sorry for their wrongs and aim to amend
> their lives. This latter implies a belief in an objective moral order.
>
> In *Lancelot*, three ways are proposed (p. 255-57): 1) Sodom: the way of
> the modern world (i.e. rejection of an objective moral order), 2) Lance's
> way (i.e. a return to an objective moral order, enforced with an iron fist:
> a new version of the Old Law), 3) Percival's way: the way of the Church
> (i.e. acceptance of an objective moral order, but mercy for the penitent: a
> return to the New Law, a.k.a. Christendom).
>
> The world at present is in the final throes of the first way, but Lancelot
> and Percival agree that the future of humanity cannot continue in this way.
> They agree beyond any doubt that it will be either the second or the third
> way, but not both. And we know which of the two Percy, the author, is
> asserting by the final words of the novel, when Lancelot asks Percival, "Is
> there anything you wish to tell me before I leave?" and Percival, who has
> been the silent hearer of Lance's 255-page confession, responds, "Yes."
>
> Probably he will tell Lance that without sorrow for his sins, the new
> beginning he envisions is as doomed as the modern world.
>
> Mike Larson
>
> ----------------------------------
> * Percy-L Discussion Archives: http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/percy-l/
>
> * Manage Your Membership:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/percy-l
>
> * Contact the Moderator: percy-l-owner (at) lists.ibiblio.org
>
> * Visit The Walker Percy Project: http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/attachments/20200716/acfe2902/attachment-0001.html>

------------------------------

Subject: Digest Footer

_______________________________________________
Percy-L mailing list
Percy-L AT lists.ibiblio.org
https://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/percy-l


------------------------------

End of Percy-L Digest, Vol 161, Issue 6
***************************************

----------------------------------
* Percy-L Discussion Archives: https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/

* Manage Your Membership: http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/percy-l

* Contact the Moderator: percy-l-owner (at) lists.ibiblio.org

* Visit The Walker Percy Project: http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy