Part 3

 

Career:

After attending University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill he trained to be a medical doctor at Columbia University, Walker contracted Tuberculosis while preforming an autopsy as an intern. He spent the next several years recovering in New York. During this period he read existentialist authors and began to question human existence. Walker published his first novel, The Moviegoer in 1961. Walker continued to publish several other works including: The Last Gentleman (1966), Love in the Ruins(1971), Lancelot (1977), The Second Coming (1980), and The Thanatos Syndrome in 1987. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_Percy

Why am I here? What should I do? What/Who is God? What is the meaning of life? Throughout Percy Walker’s novel The Moviegoer, the protagonist struggles to answer all these questions. Early in the novel, there is little mention of religion. During part three Walker’s religious roots are exposed as Binx struggles with his place in society.  

            Binx’s religious opinions are expressed through his internal thoughts. While conversing with his mother, Binx explains:

            “Sometimes when she mentions God, it strikes me that my mother uses him as but one of the devices that come to hand in an outrageous man’s world, to be put to work like all the rest in the one enterprise she has any use for: the canny management of the shocks of life…she has wanted everything colloquial and easy, even God” Page 142

            Binx’s mother employs God to make her life easier and understandable. As Binx describes, his mother uses religion to explain what she does not understand. The “shocks of life” refer to everything that the mother cannot explain for herself and turns to God. One of these “shocks” was the death of Duval.  After Duval’s passing the mother lost sight of the true practice of religion and uses God to make her life easy. From the description, Binx’s mother has not devoted her life to God and does not seek salvation. The mother chooses to instead use religion only when it suits her.

Unlike his mother, Binx has no desire or understanding of religion. Similar to many things in the novel, Binx does not have an opinion on the matter of religion. Binx expresses his indifference towards religion when he explains,

“My mother’s family thinks I have lost my faith and they pray for me to recover it. I don’t know what they’re talking about.” Page 145

This thought pronounces his disillusionment from faith. Binx is indifferent to the fact that other people are worried for his lack of religion. Binx openly expresses is confusion with the purpose of religion. Binx lacks the desire to acquire religion and his family’s prayers are in vain.

Later in the philosophical explanation, Binx continues to explain the depth of his disbelief. Through this description Binx appears to be proud of his unwillingness to accept God. Binx states,

            “My unbelief was invincible from the beginning. I could never make head of tail of God. The proofs God’s existence may have been true for all I know, but it didn’t make the slightest difference. If God himself appeared to me it would have changed nothing. In fact, I have only to hear the word God and a curtain comes down in my head.” Page 145

First, Binx claims his inability to make sense of God as the logic for his “unbelief”. God is not a tangible object that Binx can see and touch. Emotions prevent Binx from grasping faith in God. The fact that God is not tangible is not what prevents Binx from having faith. Binx claims even witnessing God would not change his opinions towards religion. To witness God and still disbelieve is simply denying truth. This statement enables the reader to conclude there is more to Binx’s refusal of religion than simply not believing. Binx rejects all possibility of seeking religion when he chooses to ignore any mention of God. Binx describes a “curtain” descending upon his head at the mention of God. I think Binx hides behind this curtain because he fears religion. Binx employs the curtain to separate his mind from religious interference.

 Many people find purpose through the church and God. Throughout the novel, Binx struggles to find a purpose for life. I think Binx’s inability to accept religion is the reason he cannot find a purpose in this world. Binx is enthralled with his “search” and the answer to all of his questions can be found in faith. Unfortunately, Binx’s mother is a strong religious influence and uses religion only to make life easier.