In the novel, The Moviegoer by Walker Percy, I believe Binx’s search brought him to the realization that there is importance in everydayness. In the beginning of the novel, he spends his days making money, and chasing woman, he seems to find no fulfillment in religion or morality, only desiring pleasure devoid of any solid meaning for his life. Binx believes that to be sunk in everydayness is not thinking, and not thinking is not really living. His movie watching is an attempt to break through the everydayness, because he thinks movies are truer to reality, and he somewhat pretentiously views himself above the common man, because they are unaware of their everydayness. Binx decides to partake in a search, which is “what any man would undertake if he were not sunk in the everdayness of his own life […] to become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair. The movies are onto the search, but they screw it up. The search always ends in despair”(pg.13). Binx seemingly has a fear of being the common man, which he describes as being anyone, anywhere and not leaving a mark on the world as if one did not exist. What he fails to realize, which his aunt eloquently points out, is we are a nation built on common men. After he returns from Chicago with Kate, his aunt questions him as to how he could have been so careless, and what his meaning in life is, and he is silent. She explains to him that duty is important, and she believes she has failed him, “I did my best for you, son. I gave you all I had. More than anything I wanted to pass on to you the one heritage of the men of our family, a certain quality of spirit, a gaiety, a sense of duty, a nobility worn lightly, a sweetness, a gentleness with women- the only good thing the south ever had and the only thing that really matters in this life. I know you are not a bad boy-I wish you were. But how did it happen that none of this ever meant anything to you?” (pg 224) I believe this is the point in the book where he realizes that his search has been in vain. He has always known what he must do, and somewhat avoided it. He finds meaning in his life with Kate because he has found someone that truly needs him. Although, I do not think he has found what he originally thought he would, he is successful by finding beauty in the everydayness. Being able to help those around him makes him real and heroic.
We both used the same quotes that Binx states as he’s wondering what a man would undertake if he were not stuck in the everydayness of his own life. I suppose this was a very important part of the novel, as it really emphasizes where Binx’s mind is, or what his mentality is regarding this “search” that we all go through. I kind of agree with Binx in this matter. I think at some point in our lives we all go on a search for something. However, even though we are searching, the search is probably constantly interrupted by the current reality that is already our lives, or as Binx would say, the “everydayness”.
ReplyDeleteWhen his aunt tells him all of the things that she wishes he valued and all of the things she tried to teach him, I think it is a reality check for Binx. I suppose that when you’re on this “search”, it’s kind of like you escape reality for a moment. Binx was in his own world, and his aunt brought him back down to what we (human beings) tend to think are the important things in life. In a way, Binx represents the search, or this other world, and his aunt represents typical life, or the “everydayness” of life. I do agree with you that this is the point where Binx realizes that his search was in vain. Also, in response to your last few sentences, I agree that he did eventually find meaning in the everydayness of life, which is probably what many of us are still trying to do.
You raised several different points in your essay, all of which I find quite interesting. I agree the chasing of women and moviegoing appeared to have become apart of a monotonous regiment in Binxs' life. Binx seemed skeptical of relgiion (when he spoke about the 98% of Christians successful search and 2% athiests etc.)and morality (fornicating with his secretaries). Not giving much thought to sleeping around seems to be the everydayness Percy was hoping to convey to his readers. I agree Binxs' awakening to the idea of being sunken into everydayness afforded him the possibility of beginning his pilgrimage of being onto something. Not being onto something is equally important today as it was during Binxs' day. Yet, many people find themselves in said quandry often. I must admit that at times I've found myself in search of that something as a teenager. I also believe many people are on similar quest, screw up along the way, but eventually get "it" right. Unfortunately, I totally disagree with the skillfully-masterminding role the aunt played in the lives of Binx (not allowing him to grieve for his dead brother)and Kate (not affording her the opportunity to express her emotions without being labeled. I believe it was the aunt who caused them to become unstabled in their personal lives. She had great intentions with distorted motives. It would have been interesting to hear Percy give an account of how Binx and Kate view their aunt and mother along with her idea of what she was passing on to them. I find it quite interesting that my views of the south are completely different that the aunts'views. Being a proud native of the north has a lot to do with it, I'm sure. Percy gave detailed descriptions of blacks in the south back then just as he did with his account of his life. It is obvious, Georgia was a slave state and rather ironic that although Binx was white he too was living enslaved in his mind and the mind of his aunt as long as he was subject to her beliefs (because they were not his own). I rather believe Binx successfully completed his search regarding his everydayness in addition to his life's purpose. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on your work.
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