Monsignor Quixote by Graham Greene: Day 7
Part I, Chapter V (pp. 64-78)
The discussion of the clandestine contraceptives reminded me: When I was in elementary school, I knew a woman whose job was to distribute contraceptives to married women at her working unit. Only married people would be allowed to have sex. It was much, much later when condoms could be bought in pharmacies.
“Mockery is not an argument, Sancho.”
And yet mockery seems an evergreen activity in politics.
The twinning of Father Quixote and Sancho in their exchanging clothes and books: quite a Shakespearean moment.
Join us on December 3 for a virtual discussion of Monsignor Quixote with Yiyun Li.
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“There is a virtue in slowness which we have lost. Rocinante was of more value for a true traveler than a jet plane.” “…anyone who had read the true history would have thought that Don Quixote had covered the whole immense area of Spain.” Lovely—the Quixotes and Sanchos may not have covered much actual ground, but they were all on slow journeys inward.
I must mention, also, the pleasure of slow reading with this book group!
These foibles and antics with the idiot guards strike me as—not Spanish in its humor per se—but rather British. Was like an episode from Benny Hill or the like. Such a funny chapter, and there's something so satisfying and droll about poking fun at these powerful institutions (the Church, politics, La Guardia, etc.). Can't wait for tomorrow's reading.