The Moviegoer by Walker Percy

Another of the great books that one is told they must read across the history of twentieth century literature is Walker Percy's The Moviegoer. The author's debut novel it is his most famous writing and the winner of the 1961 National Book Award tells the story of Binx Bolling. Binx is a young stockbroker making his way in New Orleans sometime in the late fifties. Binx is a veteran of the Korean War and in the week leading up to Mardi Gras we follow him as he meanders his way through the city of New Orleans and his life in it.

Binx is a dreamer, he describes himself as a moviegoer, one with a short attention span, a person engaged in " The Search." For Binx this search is rather undefined but in general it is the enjoyment of life the search for what a person not bogged down in the mundane of every day life would undertake. He also concerns himself with the malaise of life, the malaise can fall on anyone anytime when they become too much the same. Driving an MG is impractical, the ride is uncomfortable, but it beats the everyday sensibility of a nice comfortable four door. For Binx to be alive is to be unique.

In his circle Binx is close with an aunt and uncle and his uncle's daughter as well, his cousin Kate. It is an odd relationship with these people. the aunt is very kind to him and is often trying to guide him into the next stage of his life, she is the step mother to the daughter, his cousin Kate, and his Uncle Jules whom he describes as being incapable of negative displays of feeling. When Jules wants to express displeasure with someone or something he goes so far as to shorten a conversation.

Percy writes in a light, dreamy way. The books is a bit more existentialist than I might usually care for but Binx for all his faults is an extremely attractive character. When Binx says that he does not like to engage in pursuits that tie him up it is because like a small child he is afraid he will miss something better. His fear of being nobody, of suffering the everyday malaise, instead of being always ready to be somebody, something out of the ordinary in it's own way paralyzes Binx.

Not a great deal happens in the book it really is just a travelog of sorts of the life of this one unexceptional man who dreams of being different. Still the way Percy writes the book is like an extended poem, a sonata of sorts. As the end nears and Binx makes a perhaps unexpected commitment that is only possible once he and his Aunt come to grips that he is perhaps not special but specialness can be found in anyone we find ourselves cheered by the outcome, even as it is more conventional than the rest of the book.

A moving book, a book that I enjoyed greatly and one of the more unique characters you will read about it is certainly no shock to me that The Moviegoer consistently appears on any listing of The Great Books that you will find.