Walker Percy Criticism
Walker Percy, a distinguished southern American novelist and essayist, is celebrated for his insightful explorations of identity, existential themes, and the challenge of reconciling faith within a secular world. A convert to Roman Catholicism, Percy grappled with the quest for self-understanding in the post-bellum South and tackled the complexities of love and morality in modern times. His works are notable for their engagement with existential and theological questions, often highlighting themes of intersubjectivity, alienation, and authenticity.
Percy's debut novel, The Moviegoer, which won the National Book Award, established him as a significant voice in modern literature by delving into themes of alienation and the quest for meaning, as examined by Robert Coles. In The Last Gentleman and Love in the Ruins, Percy continues this exploration, with John F. Zeugner highlighting the intricate examination of existential themes and intersubjective reality. However, Thomas LeClair critiques Love in the Ruins for lacking the philosophical consistency of his earlier works.
Through novels like The Second Coming, Percy presents narratives that blend memory and transcendence, despite stylistic challenges. John Romano and Richard Gilman offer critiques that underscore the stylistic elements, while John Calvin Batchelor notes the novel's lack of resolution. Nonetheless, Mary Gordon praises its existential courage.
In Lancelot, Percy captures the complex identity of the American South, reflecting on its history and mores, as argued by Edward J. Cashin, and engages in a dialogue between secular and religious perspectives, as noted by Robert D. Daniel. Throughout his literary career, Percy employed what he called "symbolic transformation" to transcend empirical knowledge, inviting readers to engage in profound philosophical inquiries, as discussed by Gerard Reedy.
Contents
- Percy, Walker (Vol. 6)
- Percy, Walker (Vol. 8)
- Percy, Walker (Vol. 2)
- Percy, Walker (Vol. 3)
-
Percy, Walker (Vol. 14)
-
History As Mores: Walker Percy's 'Lancelot'
(summary)
In the following essay, Edward J. Cashin argues that Walker Percy’s novel Lancelot serves as a profound exploration of Southern history and mores, asserting that the author captures the essence of the South's complex historical identity and cultural heritage through the novel's protagonist and themes.
-
Walker Percy's Devil
(summary)
In the following essay, Thomas LeClair contends that while Walker Percy's novel Love in the Ruins showcases Percy's existential interests and thematic depth, it ultimately fails to achieve the philosophical and aesthetic consistency found in his earlier works due to its conventional narrative structure and the author's temptation toward popularity and traditional storytelling.
-
Walker Percy's 'Lancelot': Secular Raving and Religious Silence
(summary)
In the following essay, Robert D. Daniel argues that Walker Percy's novel Lancelot serves as a critical dialogue between secular and religious perspectives, exploring the limitations and failures of both in addressing modern man's ethical and existential crises, ultimately suggesting that true ethical solutions lie within religious answers.
-
Walker Percy: An American Search
(summary)
In the following essay, Robert Coles explores Walker Percy's existential philosophy, emphasizing his belief in "symbolic transformation" as a uniquely human means of knowledge that transcends empirical science and explores themes of intersubjectivity, alienation, and the search for meaning as depicted in his novels like "The Moviegoer."
-
History As Mores: Walker Percy's 'Lancelot'
(summary)
-
Percy, Walker (Vol. 18)
-
Walter Percy and Gabriel Marcel: The Castaway and the Wayfarer
(summary)
In the following essay, John F. Zeugner examines the existential and theological influences on Walker Percy's fiction, focusing on the themes of intersubjectivity, alienation, and authenticity in works like The Moviegoer, The Last Gentleman, and Love in the Ruins, arguing how Percy's characters navigate these concepts towards salvation and self-awareness.
-
A Novel of Powerful Treasures
(summary)
In the following essay, John Romano argues that in "The Second Coming," Walker Percy masterfully explores themes of memory, existential doubt, and the possibility of transcendence through the journey of the protagonist Will Barrett, while also highlighting Percy's ability to create compelling characters and a poignant narrative despite theological complexities and reservations.
-
Books and the Arts: 'The Second Coming'
(summary)
In the following essay, Richard Gilman critiques Walker Percy's novel "The Second Coming," acknowledging moments of stylistic weakness influenced by Faulkner and a tendency towards apocalyptic vision, but ultimately praising the novel's originality, depth, and portrayal of complex themes such as belief and existential malaise, particularly through the character dynamics between Will Barrett and Allie.
-
The Percy Perplex
(summary)
In the following essay, John Calvin Batchelor critiques Walker Percy’s novel The Second Coming for its lack of resolution and character development, arguing that its philosophical emphasis and stoic irony overshadow emotional engagement and narrative closure, leaving readers yearning for a more profound exploration of its themes.
-
General Deliverance
(summary)
In the following essay, Mary Gordon evaluates Walker Percy's "The Second Coming," highlighting its beautiful, though challenging, tone and noting its courage in addressing existential themes, while identifying flaws like uneven pacing and stereotypical female characters, yet ultimately considering it a valuable contribution to contemporary fiction.
-
To the Greenhouse
(summary)
In the following essay, Robert Towers critiques Walker Percy's novel The Second Coming for its ambitious themes and allegorical elements, arguing that its aesthetic and formal shortcomings stem from a lack of coherent action and an uneven prose style, despite offering more coherence than Percy's earlier works.
-
Gestures of Solidarity
(summary)
In the following essay, Gerard Reedy analyzes Walker Percy's novel "The Second Coming," highlighting its exploration of authentic human community through theological and philosophical dimensions, while critiquing various social issues, and comparing it with Percy's earlier works in terms of thematic complexity and character development.
-
Walter Percy and Gabriel Marcel: The Castaway and the Wayfarer
(summary)