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scottrushing 's review for:
The Moviegoer
by Walker Percy
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first time I read this book I was a grad student, nearly the same age as Binx Bolling, the protagonist of the novel. The Moviegoer was written in 1961 by an author who, it seems to me, had some critiques to make of modern American society. Binx is on the Big Search for meaning in his life. He dates his secretaries, he goes to the movies, he works as a stockbroker in New Orleans. Religion is in the background - he describes himself as a lapsed Catholic - but it is not a prominent feature of his life.
I suspect Percy sees this kind of life being led by a great many people, and tried to get inside the head of someone who just exists and looks around but doesn’t really live. To quote another philosopher, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” 20 years later I see that trap more clearly than I did before. How easy it is just to go through life doing one thing after another with little reflection or critical thought. This is a challenging story at the time - we are not meant to emulate the protagonist but to think critically about his choices for himself. And maybe reflect about ourselves.
I suspect Percy sees this kind of life being led by a great many people, and tried to get inside the head of someone who just exists and looks around but doesn’t really live. To quote another philosopher, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” 20 years later I see that trap more clearly than I did before. How easy it is just to go through life doing one thing after another with little reflection or critical thought. This is a challenging story at the time - we are not meant to emulate the protagonist but to think critically about his choices for himself. And maybe reflect about ourselves.