Walker Percy: Vision and Influence

Walker Percy, like Flannery O’Connor, peered through the faux sanctity of his era to reveal a world teetering on the edge of nihilism. His fiction, deeply steeped in a comprehension of Western civilization, intertwines with existential questions, crafting narratives that explore humanity’s unique place in the cosmos. While his Southern roots offered him a lens to inspect his surroundings, it was Percy’s broader philosophical inquiries that underpinned his literary works.

Diagnosing the Modern Condition

Percy’s characters often grapple with the metaphysical malaise of the 20th century, as illustrated by Father Smith in The Thanatos Syndrome, who suggests that the century was God’s concession to let Satan have his way with humanity. Through characters such as Binx Bolling, Tom More, and Will Barrett, Percy examines the human condition, highlighting the era’s sentimental nihilism and its attempts to diminish humanity's uniqueness. He critiques the rise of "scientism," which seeks to reduce humans to mere organisms, thereby ignoring the intrinsic uniqueness that sets humanity apart from other cosmic entities.

Language and the Human Experience

A significant portion of Percy’s work examines the interplay between language and identity, challenging established theories by figures like Noam Chomsky and Jacques Derrida. For Percy, language was not just a tool but a manifestation of the human soul, essential for understanding the divine and the mundane. His excursions into linguistics became a form of apologetics, subtly defending the Christian faith by exploring how language bridges the divine and human realms.

The Search for Authenticity

Percy’s protagonists are emblematic of modern man’s search for meaning, often depicted as middle-aged men burdened by their wealth yet plagued by existential disorientation. These characters, caught between the worlds of beasts and angels, embark on quests that reveal transcendence within the ordinary. His narratives often feature a "castaway" theme, where characters await messages of deeper truth amidst the noise of their everyday lives.

A Critique of Modernity

In works such as The Thanatos Syndrome, Percy satirizes the modern age's obsession with progress and its drift towards a new form of gnosticism. He warns against the homogenization of identity, where individuals lose touch with transcendent truths, becoming mere consumers. Percy’s writing urges readers to recognize the "true myth" of human existence—a tale of fallibility and redemption.

Exploring the Existential Novel

Percy’s engagement with existentialism, influenced by Søren Kierkegaard, rejects the reductionist approach of behaviorism, advocating instead for a phenomenological view of human existence. He critiques the scientific method's inability to address non-biological human goals, presenting existentialism as a fuller, more authentic alternative that acknowledges humanity's fallen state and potential for redemption.

The Role of Language in Human Identity

For Percy, language was the cornerstone of human uniqueness, a view that diverged from the behaviorist perspective, which saw language merely as a system of signs. Language, to Percy, was a symbolic and mysterious process that facilitated the connection between self and other, and ultimately between humanity and the divine. His novels often illustrate this quest for understanding and communication, highlighting the need for humanity to relearn how to speak and connect authentically.

Character Archetypes and Journeys

Percy's novels often feature protagonists on a journey from detachment to engagement, from existential despair to a recognition of their place within a larger cosmic narrative. This journey is framed in Kierkegaard’s stages of life: the aesthetic, ethical, and religious. Through their quests, Percy’s characters strive to find meaning and authenticity, navigating the complexities of their internal and external worlds.

Stylistic Exploration

Percy’s narrative style mirrors his thematic explorations, beginning with situations rather than fixed plots, allowing the story to unfold organically....