The Pursuit of Purpose

My experience reading The Moviegoer was somewhat enjoyable. I think Percy is an excellent writer and there is no doubt that his craft enables him to convey the story in a way that makes it interesting for the reader. For me though, I liked reading the book, but I hated talking about it.

Each day we had a discussion in class, I came happily to share my thoughts on what I liked or disliked about the book, what themes I was able to see, and what I thought were the central conflicts. To my chagrin, I left each class unable to dispel my feelings of disappointment. Hearing mostly negative responses about Binx and his quest for purpose and happiness reminded me how much I hate hearing pessimistic thoughts. Although I do agree with most of what was said in class, I did not experience the same feelings on my own when thinking about the book. I saw Jack as a man who was coasting through life and feeling no signs of progress or any sort of calling, but I did not think it was worst thing in the world to be a little bit lost. I guess I failed to realize the degree of Binx’s unhappiness. With that said, I’d say I was unsuccessful in my attempt to identify with the main character.

The misfortune that Mr. Bolling experienced throughout his life is something to which I cannot relate. I have a very fortunate background and most people with whom I have close relationships do too. Felling little identification with the character, I concentrated more on future action rather than how sad of a life Binx had. Anyway, now that I have stated my feelings about the book, I am going to try to connect the dots and give my opinion about Binx’s state at the end.

Throughout the majority of this book, Jack Bolling describes how his life is unfulfilling and how he is unable to find everlasting happiness. Dr. Watson informed us of Kierkegaard’s philosophy of existentialism and how Binx remains in the aesthetic stage. I think this is a good assessment, but I find myself trying to focus on the good aspects of his life. With a good job, a nice car, relationships with women, and a caring-albeit not immediate-family, Binx has a life that many people could only dream of. I can certainly see why people would want more-a wife; a family; a house; the American dream in short. Still, he has so much more than so many other people.

I would like to say that I do not understand his complete state of ennui, but since it is human nature to want what you do not have, I can see why his life is unfulfilling. He does not have a happy childhood to recollect; he has no people in his life that he feels understand him; he is not religious; and he cannot find a woman who holds his interest beyond anything physical. The only one of these that changes later in the book is his relationship with women when he and Kate get engaged. This seems to be the first step en route to a happier life.

In the end, when Binx marries Kate and attends medical school, one might think he has advanced to the ethical stage of existentialism. There is even an argument that he is nearing the religious stage when he tells the kids “He’ll be like you,” when he tells them what Lonnie will be like in heaven. I happen to disagree with both. The ending of this book is so ambiguous that, even though many ideas can be argued and supported, I just have to go with my gut. I see Binx happier married to Kate and working as a doctor, but I still think he will be living more to find himself and his place in the world than for other people. Perhaps he will espouse religion after a short time of living for others. At the conclusion of the book I think he is exiting the aesthetic stage, but he has not yet progressed to the ethical stage.

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This blog is for my English 2145 class at KSU. It will contain some of my thoughts about the literature we read for the course.

DC