"Father Leopoldo abandoned the thought of private prayer, and in any case the rare opportunity to speak was a greater privilege." I thought this was funny, given that the father's spiritual inspiration, René Descartes, is famous for the expression, "I think, therefore I am" (cogito, ergo sum)
The mass scene, especially the phantom communion, was fascinating. The moment the Father touched the Mayor's tongue with his fingers "like a Host" it was such an intimate gesture. So much love shown by the Mayor. Kneeling & playing along with the communion as a non-believer. "Anything which will give him peace, he thought, anything at all." And when "he felt over and over again" for the Father's heartbeat. And at the end the Mayor ponders "love constant beyond death." It's a beautiful way to end the book. (That last quote isn't from the book. It's the title of a poem by Francisco Gomez de Quevedo, contemporary of Cervantes.) Also, I need to read some Descartes.
I agree! The transubstantiation happens from nothing because MQ believes as he says his last mass. What moving moments of friendship - of love - between the Mayor and MQ.
These first several pages of the final chapter seem to me to represent a shift of some kind in the narrative. First there is the beautiful and evocative description of the monastery, followed by some verbal sparring between Father Leopoldo and the unimaginative Professor Pilbeam which reminds us of discussions MQ and Sancho have had throughout the book.
I agree with Yiyun that Father Leopoldo deserves a novel all to himself, for like the monsignor he is a man of faith but a complex and introspective one.
So many great lines – each of which made me smile - and want to embrace the “danger of intellectual discussion”:
“Professor Pilbeam … had removed Father Leopoldo from the peace of routine to a more confused world, the world of intellectual speculation … [A]ny intellectual discussion … was like giving food to a starving man. It could be dangerous.”
---
“Fact and fiction – they are not always easy to distinguish. / Descartes brought me … to faith. Fact or fiction – in the end you can’t distinguish between them – you just have to choose.”
---
Professor: “Don Quixote had no descendants. How could he? He’s a fictional character.”
Father Leopoldo: “Fact and fiction again, professor. So difficult to distinguish.”
MQ continues to be his “true” self, grappling with the “truth” of an honest/authentic faith: “He was muttering what might have been prayers, but might equally well have been curses.” I couldn’t help but chuckle aloud.
"A visitor has the impression of an abandoned island which has been colonized only recently by a small group of adventurers, who are now trying to make a home in the ruins of a past civilization." The monastery at Osera sounds like the right place for our adventurers (though they do like conversation!).
Years ago, a student in my department made an "artist book" on Descartes, in which she hollowed out a text by him and placed words on small cubes inside (if I'm remembering correctly). I can't recall everything about her presentation, which was fascinating, but she had been disturbed to learn that he practiced vivisection on animals. This was one of the reasons she physically cut into his text, vivisecting his book, so to speak. It has stayed with me and cast a shadow over Descartes. I couldn't help thinking of it reading about this gentle and deeply humane priest's devotion to him.
"Father Leopoldo abandoned the thought of private prayer, and in any case the rare opportunity to speak was a greater privilege." I thought this was funny, given that the father's spiritual inspiration, René Descartes, is famous for the expression, "I think, therefore I am" (cogito, ergo sum)
Is this the first mention of the Mayor's actual name???? Enrique "Sancho" Zancas!
I think it comes up way at the beginning--OK, yes, the start of chapter 2.
Thanks. I had forgotten!
I adore Father Leopoldo's comment about deep water. It made me sit up.
The mass scene, especially the phantom communion, was fascinating. The moment the Father touched the Mayor's tongue with his fingers "like a Host" it was such an intimate gesture. So much love shown by the Mayor. Kneeling & playing along with the communion as a non-believer. "Anything which will give him peace, he thought, anything at all." And when "he felt over and over again" for the Father's heartbeat. And at the end the Mayor ponders "love constant beyond death." It's a beautiful way to end the book. (That last quote isn't from the book. It's the title of a poem by Francisco Gomez de Quevedo, contemporary of Cervantes.) Also, I need to read some Descartes.
I agree! The transubstantiation happens from nothing because MQ believes as he says his last mass. What moving moments of friendship - of love - between the Mayor and MQ.
These first several pages of the final chapter seem to me to represent a shift of some kind in the narrative. First there is the beautiful and evocative description of the monastery, followed by some verbal sparring between Father Leopoldo and the unimaginative Professor Pilbeam which reminds us of discussions MQ and Sancho have had throughout the book.
I agree with Yiyun that Father Leopoldo deserves a novel all to himself, for like the monsignor he is a man of faith but a complex and introspective one.
I’ll remember to borrow Yiyun’s answer about reading fiction!
It’s interesting to see two new characters introduced so late in the novel…
i love novels that do that! cf. mann's magic mountain. peeperkorn shows up on like p. 670!
So many great lines – each of which made me smile - and want to embrace the “danger of intellectual discussion”:
“Professor Pilbeam … had removed Father Leopoldo from the peace of routine to a more confused world, the world of intellectual speculation … [A]ny intellectual discussion … was like giving food to a starving man. It could be dangerous.”
---
“Fact and fiction – they are not always easy to distinguish. / Descartes brought me … to faith. Fact or fiction – in the end you can’t distinguish between them – you just have to choose.”
---
Professor: “Don Quixote had no descendants. How could he? He’s a fictional character.”
Father Leopoldo: “Fact and fiction again, professor. So difficult to distinguish.”
MQ continues to be his “true” self, grappling with the “truth” of an honest/authentic faith: “He was muttering what might have been prayers, but might equally well have been curses.” I couldn’t help but chuckle aloud.
"A visitor has the impression of an abandoned island which has been colonized only recently by a small group of adventurers, who are now trying to make a home in the ruins of a past civilization." The monastery at Osera sounds like the right place for our adventurers (though they do like conversation!).
Years ago, a student in my department made an "artist book" on Descartes, in which she hollowed out a text by him and placed words on small cubes inside (if I'm remembering correctly). I can't recall everything about her presentation, which was fascinating, but she had been disturbed to learn that he practiced vivisection on animals. This was one of the reasons she physically cut into his text, vivisecting his book, so to speak. It has stayed with me and cast a shadow over Descartes. I couldn't help thinking of it reading about this gentle and deeply humane priest's devotion to him.
What a strange but delightful book.