After reading about Percy’s rather sad childhood, one may definitely wonder how his faith played into it. Well, in all honesty, it didn’t play into his childhood much at all. Throughout his childhood and all of the hardships it brought, Percy was not a student of religion but of ethics, philosophy, even psychology. You could say that he was a perfect example of G.K. Chesteron’s quote “when a man stops believing in God he doesn’t then believe in nothing, he believes in anything.” At one point he became “a disciple of [his uncle’s] stoic philosophy”, and he even became “greatly impressed with the Hitler Youth.” Clearly, Percy was searching throughout much of his young life.
It was actually disease that brought Percy to spirituality. In 1942 he contracted tuberculosis. Since at the time tuberculosis was though to be a moral defection, he took extended rest in the Trudeau Sanatorium on Lake Saranac in New York. While there, Percy discovered he had lost all interest in medicine, which freed him and allowed him to begin his spiritual journey. After being released he enjoy the “carefree life of a young bachelor”, reading various authors and theologians. In 1946 (approaching his 30th birthday) he returned to Mississippi contemplating the many questions of his life and dating “a series of local women” (sound familiar?). Throughout the next year he travelled, read, and wrote, and contemplated all of his questions.
On December 13, 1846 Percy was baptized at the Holy Name Church in New Orleans. He had acquired a great respect for Catholics throughout his youth and said he was drawn to Catholicism “because it offered him a theology that reconciled faith and reason.” Soon after, he made his first confession, which he admitted was “one of the main reasons [he’d] become a Catholic.” In 1948 he was confirmed alongside 300 schoolchildren. He highly regarded the social teachings of the Bible and admired those who embodied them (like Dorothy Day). He remained Catholic throughout the rest of his life and was “buried among the monks at St. Joseph’s Abbey” when he died at 74.
Source:
Wood, Ralph C. "An Introduction to Walter Percy." CTools. Fri. 30 Mar 2012.
I think it's so interesting that Percy wasn't raised Catholic and didn't become one until much later in his life. It makes me wonder if Binx isn't a character modeled after Percy and his experiences with the Church (we may have discussed this in class, i'm drawing a blank). Knowing this also gives me a more positive interpretation of The Moviegoer's highly ambiguous ending. If it's meant to be anything like Percy's life then we can expect Binx to find what he's looking for in the end.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that while Percy Walker was recovering from a disease he lost his interest in medicine. Even though Walker must have devoted a significant amount of time to his field, the near death experience changed his life. I know we have discussed this in class and I think this is a great example. Once Walked was diagnosed with TB, his life changed and he began his search. I think this serves to support the connection between Binx and Walker. Binx suffered a near death experience is Korea. Both men went on a search for purpose. Walker finds his purpose in religion.
ReplyDeleteA theme amongst at least several of our authors this term has been suffering. Suffering expressed and explored not only in the work they did but also in authors own lives. There was Andre Dubus and Walker Percy and we've found Shusako Endo as well. Do we think there's possible some connection between author's own physically ailments and suffering their writing, understanding of the world, and Catholicism? I've been thinking a lot about suffering as its expressed through both The Moviegoer and Silence. That might seem odd at first but I think there might be some deep connection between the books and how suffering is not all evil, it perhaps has a perhaps to lead people so some greater purpose. (I know very Catholic of me)
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