Family Dynamics in T.O.D.

I found the family dynamics in this book very interesting. In the other books we have read, mostly we have seen tradition families and marriages. Now we are getting a glimpse at an unconventional family whose motives are yet to be revealed. The Judge's new wife Fay happens to be younger than his own daughter, Laurel, which makes me think that there is more than true love to their relationship. Also, it surprised me that her nasty treatment of Laurel went unnoticed by the judge, or otherwise ignored. I would still like to learn more about Laurel's relationship with her father, even after he has died. What is strange to me is that so far Laurel has made her mother out to be a great person, and although she died, I wonder what caused Judge McKelva to marry someone who is seemingly very different from his dead wife. What do you think of the story so far? Any insights into the relationships between all the characters?

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Now that we have started our last book as an entire class (have fun on senior projects you guys!), I think it is important to look at the series of books we have read as a whole collection and what they have in common. We stumbled through Faulkner's erratic chronology, found humor in O'Connor's sardonic wit, and found Percy's stream-of-consciousness style endearing in the character of Binx. Now we will study Eudora Welty's style and her perception of the South. So here is my question- why these four (or five for juniors) books? What does Lucas, a slave on a farm, have in common with Binx, the nephew of an extremely entitled family in New Orleans, or with the Guziac family, immigrants from Poland? What connects these books so that they transcend time, race, gender, etc, and how do they embody the list of stereotypes we made at the beginning of the year? Finally, what was your favorite book and why? From what I have read, I think The Optimist's Daughter is going to be my favorite!

Style vs. Content

To me, The Moviegoer presents a paradox. The themes of the story have a philosophical, and sometimes dark nature. In the strong theme of existentialism, Binx is continuously searching for the meaning of human life - he strives to understand how people may live sincerely in a seemingly dishonest and artificial world. He wishes never to be "sunk in the everydayness" of life" and his greatest fear is to be invisible in a habitual society. Binx finds comfort in going to the movies because for him, a movie reinsures reality, it is "certification"... He explains, "Nowadays when a person lives somewhere, in a neighborhood, the place is not certified for him. More than likely he will live there sadly and the emptiness which is inside him will expand until it evacuates the entire neighborhood. But if he sees a movie which shows his ver neighborhood, it becomes possible for him to live, for a time at least, as a person who is Somewhere and not Anywhere" (63). Kate is a similar character; she, too, searches for revelations in life, but each time she thinks she has found one, she soon sinks into a phase of grave depression. Well, here is the paradox: this deep analysis of human life and existence is portrayed through Percy's light and almost poetic prose. What significance does this contrast of style and content hold?

The Moviegoer seems to be a very dull and mundan journey through the life of an ordinary man with no real meaning. But, the book shows the transformation of "a model tenant and a model citizen [who takes] pleasure in doing all that is expected" (8) into a man who does not want to be seen as plain and average "macaroni" (122). Early in the story there is a description of a living room, "the living room is bright, but it is not snug. The windows are open to the ceiling and the gray sky comes pouring in" (22). At first, as with his life, Binx sees it as bright and full with windows reaching high but as he looks around "it is not snug." There is a contrast that is created, something that seemed so great at first begins to become more and more undesirable.