Well, we’ve come to the end of The Moviegoer, and it is now time to ask the questions: was Binx successful in his search? Did he find what he was looking for? If he did, was what he found God?
As we talked about in class, it appears that many different people and forces throughout the novel are influencing Binx: his aunt’s family, his mom’s family, the “bachelor life”. I’d say that in the end, Binx chooses the life of his mom’s family, which means he does choose God. One place in the novel where this conversion is evident is the (pretty one-sided) discussion Binx has with his aunt on pages 219-227. Binx pretty much just sits and takes his aunt’s scolding and is even silent when she asks him, “‘What do you love? What do you live for?’” (226). Although his silence might be understood by some as his lack of belief in anything, I think when his aunt asks him this question he forces himself to really think about his answer, and the one he comes up with is not what she wants to hear. Before she leaves, she smiles at him a “smile which…marks an ending” (226). It is indeed the end of any belief Binx had in his aunt’s lifestyle, and the beginning of his turning to his mother’s family’s ways.
Another key part of understanding Binx’s conversion (as well as understanding Percy’s Catholic imagination) is his conversation with Kate on pages 232-235. I think Kate’s description of Binx has many parallels to how many people see God and how Binx eventually comes to see God as well. Kate says to Binx:
I am frightened when I am alone and I am frightened when I am with people. The only time I’m not frightened is when I’m with you. You’ll have to be with me a great deal.
This is a key passage that illustrates how many people feel about God. They may not understand why, but they know when God is in their life, they aren’t afraid. I think this is the reason many people cling so much to God, they need Him to be with them “a great deal.” The truth Percy is getting at here is that with God, the bored self can be a little less bored, the depressed self can be a little less depressed, the impoverished self can be a little less impoverished, and the lonely self can be a little less lonely. Life becomes just that much more bearable with God involved.
Great analysis! Binx's search for something more than his monotonous life is definitely apparent in the book, and I do think he begins to find God at the end. Throughout Binx's journey I see him finding God through an attention to or an appreciation for the little things in life, and this is often spurred by some drastic event that generates a sort of reality check. "But, good as it is, my old place is used up (places get used up by rotator and repetitive use) and when I awake, I awake in the grip of everydayness. Everydayness is the enemy. No search is possible. Perhaps there was a time when everydayness was not too strong and one could break its grip by brute strength. Now nothing breaks it-but disaster. Only once in my life was the grip of everydayness broken: when I lay bleeding in a ditch” (145). Here, Binx is getting at the idea of going through the monotony of life and not realizing what is actually happening. Only when faced with a life changing decision, do people start to reassess their lives. A quote from Albert Einstein comes to mind. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." When one appreciates every bit of God's creation and inspiration in the world, can they be fulfilled, and Binx is starting to search for that.
ReplyDeleteI like that you use Kate's quote to describe a relationship with God. I hadn't even thought of it like that. People are in need of God in their lives to have direction and fulfillment, but sometimes I think people are afraid of the commitment. They feel like by relying on God, independence is lost and a debt is accumulated. Kate's requirement of: "You'll have to be with me a great deal", may be the very part that scares others away. People are always searching for the cure to boredom, the next thing that will bring them true happiness, but when faced with the solution to this problem they shy away. Could this be because they find it hard to accept an end to the search?
ReplyDeleteGreat comments! I'd just like to add, tying both of those together, that it might not be possible for everything to be a miracle if God isn't with you "a great deal"? And yes, I do think this is something that scares people away from God. Especially in America today much stress is put on individuality and uniqueness. Many people may refuse to turn to God because they believe turning to God means they would not be doing it on their own, and they do not want any help in their accomplishments
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite Mysteries of the Catholic Church is the concept of the Trinity - three in one. After years of catechism class, Catholic education, and dinner tables discussions, I have had this concept explained to me in too many way to count. I think if you read into what Kate is saying here that there is yet another way to think about the Trinity - especially the Holy Spirit. I really appreciate and concur with the conclusions that have been drawn so far about man's relationship with God being a parallel to Kate's plea with Binx to be with her. Taking it one step further, these lines from Kate could be seen as a realization of the Holy Spirit. Although Jesus was not with us on Earth for as long as any of us would have liked, He was still with us through the Holy Spirit. Though Percy leaves the novel slightly ambiguous at the end, it probable that Binx will not literally be with Kate all the time. Perhaps it is the spirit of knowing that Binx is with her, like the Holy Spirit is with us even though we can't see Him, that Kate really needs.
ReplyDeleteTo add onto what everyone is saying, I liked the connection drawn between Kate and Binx's relationship and a relationship with God. Another way to look at this is a criticism of modern society. It seems as though people have moved away from faith in things that cannot be seen or touched directly, and moved towards the idea of immediate satisfaction. We see this in today's society with all of the networking sites (facebook, twitter, pinterest, etc.) that allow us to obsess over our imagine and every little thing we do. Instead of actually living life and appreciating the things in life, more and more people are becoming obsessed with how many people "like" what they are doing. Once again, this immediate reinforcement. Going back to the novel, it seems as though Kate wants to have faith in something else since she is clearly unhappy with the pressures placed onto her by society, but she is looking for this escape in something (or someone) tangible: Binx.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post! I (unlike most of the class) loved this novel! I really think that we can analyze Binx's conversion with his relationship with Kate. I agree with everything you said in your post, except for the part of him choosing his mother's family because they are very conservative and closed minded religious in my viewing, and Binx is very open to his conversion. I feel like he does turn to God, even if it may not be the typical conversion we have read before. Binx realizes that he is missing something greater in his life and wants to pursue this deeper calling. The first time it ever appears that he is truly happy is at the end when he lets down his guard to let Kate in.
ReplyDeleteMaggie I am with you! I loved The Moviegoer too. There wasn't a lot of "action" but there was a lot going on internally. Binx is struggling with what I and I think all people are struggling with. Is there something more than the everyday monotony? Whatever the more is, whether it's God or not. Here I like the quote Paige pulled out about "everydayness." It's something to be fought, as Binx labelled it the "malaise." I do think it is interesting thought that many people in class (at least at first or who voiced their opinions) did not like the book and found it boring. Well life can be boring! until you stop to look at it and reflect that there maybe something more. What will it take to shake us in this 21st century of distraction from our 'everydayness'?
ReplyDeletePost Thought: In thinking of Catholic connections Binx's search reminds me of both the Augustinian quote "My heart is restless until it rests in you oh lord" (I think we mentioned in class) and John 10:10 "I came that you might have life and live it fully" (or something to that effect...I'm Catholic, can't expect me to have scripture memorized :) )
Post Post Thought: If anyone else did find The Moviegoer interesting I might suggest looking into the writing of Paulo Freire.
When I think about my response to your title, as to whether or not Binx found what he was looking for, I immediately think about a quote that stuck with me throughout the whole novel:
ReplyDelete"Truthfully, it is the fear of exposing my own ignorance which constrains me from mentioning the object of my search. For, to begin with, I cannot even answer this, the simplest and most basic of all questions: Am I, in my search, a hundred miles ahead of my fellow Americans or a hundred miles behind them? That is to say: Have 98% of Americans already found what I seek or are they so sunk in everydayness that not even the possibility of a search has occurred to them?" (14).
I feel as if he was not entirely sure what he was looking for in his search, but it was more about the search for something, anything, more. And so to your question, I must say that I think he does find what he's looking for. He finds love for Kate, a love that allows him a result to his search and that allows her a supporter and protector. He also finds his own family, I believe as a result of Kate, as he begins to look beyond himself and care for those around him. The novel closes out as he prepares to answer the calls of his brothers and sisters. He finds God through the people around him, and as a result, I believe his search to be fruitful.
I didn't really have much of an opinion of the moviegoer until after I wrote my paper. Then I realized I liked it because of the connections I found with the book I compared it to which was Blankets and I would recommend it to anyone. Its a graphic novel but is a great story and maybe its because of the pictures but it is a bit more exciting than the moviegoer so that is a plus.
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