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

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I read the good thoughts so far on chapter three and I would like to add some questions and observations to Thomas's ideas::

There is often a comparison of Updike to Percy. Here is one thing that might fit into this comparison. 

Updike once said that when a man is talking to a woman, no matter the situation or the content of the discussion, all he is thinking about is sex. I don't know if it is true, but does that not fit Binx in this chapter three?

The scene surrounding the accident in the MG beetle brought to mind the article by Walter Isaacson, Walker Percy's Theory of Hurricanes. You can find this article easily on line.

I like how you can look up the _expression_, Larroes catch medloes on page 124, which is a form of don't ask, I am not telling. and eventually the article will tell you this was in Walker Percy's The Moviegoer. 

A propos of nothing, I liked the phrase "the MG shies like a spooked deer." Page 125.

There is a lovely Cole Porter lyric, "There is nothing finer but how strange the change from major to minor..." Every  Time We Say Goodbye. On page 130 Percy says the scene lifts your heart and "Your old sad music comes into the major." 

Bottom of page 129 and top of 130 Binx is momentarily ready to replace the big deal of the search for the little deal of the little happiness. This brings to mind the end of the musical Pippin and the end of Bernstein's Candide, Make Your Garden Grow, where instead of the spectacular, the protagonists are happy to accept the simple. This will relate for me to the conclusion of the book.

There are in this section many references to light reflecting off of things, moonlight, sunlight. This occurs often in Percy. I have asked about this before. Is this important to Percy and, if so, why do you think it is?

When Binx suggests Sharon and he visit his mother's fishing camp, he means for a continuation of their romance. He is surprised to find the whole family is in residence at the moment.. But then  this gives Percy the chance for the reader to get to know his mother's side of the family.

On page 137 his mother says "well, well, look who's here" but she doesn't look. I couldn't help but compare this to when on page 26 Binx shows up at his aunt's and not only is Binx animated, despite himself, but his aunt greets him warmly. Five minutes in this house and he is dreary again. I love the way Percy uses throwaway lines to set the tone.

Page 145 has Binx talking about belief. He declares neither his mother's family nor his father's side understand his search. His mother doesn't like that he has given up his faith. He claims he never had any. 

I once made the discovery about the beetle in the book, Lanterns on the Levee, written by Percy's "uncle" who raised Percy and his brothers when both of their parents were gone. In that book is the phrase that goes something like this - Man can no more understand the mind of G-d than a beetle could understand the mind of man. The MG is called a beetle. In the beginning of the book Binx says if he gets out of this alive, his war wound, he would go on a search. He is watching a dung beetle as he says this. I wondered if Percy had gotten the idea of using a beetle from his Uncle's book.

Page 150 more light reflections.

His mother also tells him Sharon is not the one for him. She probably thinks he should marry Kate. In this there is a connection with his Aunt. Also his mother suggests cancer research might be a good occupation for Binx, Another connection to his aunt.

On pages 163 and 164 there is a conversation between Lonnie and Binx that is revelatory. Binx who asserts that religion is not for him shows love and understanding worthy of the best priest. I think it is worth reading these two pages again now.

The chapter ends with Binx who thinks he has made a conquest but Sharon suggests maybe not.