Not a review, really, but.

[foxxcub]

I looked up Lancelot by Walker Percy at Amazon and here's what I got:

The first couple of pages take the reader into the mind of a man (Lancelot) at an insane asylum who is recollecting his crimes against his now dead wife. Percy uses Lancelot as a foil to pose many questions regarding our humanity and morality.

For example, what is the sexual act? Why should it mean anything other than a biological act between two humans? What is it that causes man to be so grievously injured by adultery if the act is nothing but biology? Lancelot ponders these questions throughout the novel as he talks to his childhood friend who has become a priest. Percy gives no answers except to demonstrate through Lancelot that Lancelot's answers are lacking. Lancelot's answers form no moral basis.

The story moves quickly as Lancelot recalls the events leading up to his crime. To that end, the clipped pace of the narrative suits the urgency of the action.

Well, this is nice. :D I could flail about that second paragraph in relation to the Sawyer psyche for, like, hours. Thoughts?

Comments

[corellianjedi.livejournal.com]

Oooo iiiiiiiiiintersting. (I just saw this on Lost-Media and was about to look it up! Thanks for saving me the trouble ;D) Though I'm having trouble concentrating... the glasses... must... stare.... at the... glasses.

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

I know, it's an oddly attractive shot, isn't it?

*stares*

[eponine119.livejournal.com]

I saw that last night and pretty much did the same thing. Especially since my guess from the title of the book were apparently so far off...I mean, Lancelot was supposed to be heroic, right? But then look how that turned out.

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

Maybe that's the point. :D

Sometimes, I cannot get over this show.

[halfdutch.livejournal.com]

V. interesting. I think I might have to read that.

And I'm glad Sawyer is reading again, of course. ;-D

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

Me too! And it's not something everyone's read in junior high/high school, LOL! ;D

[arabella-hope.livejournal.com]

sooo...

It's not about bunnies? ;P

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

LOL. :P

[inthekeyofd.livejournal.com]

I looked that up too..saw the pic and had to know what that book was about.

Is it wrong that I love that he's reading that?? Or the fact that he's reading at all..he's like a sponge, and you know, I keep thinking he's a lot smarter than they give him credit for and I like to see him prove that.

(I always thought that James was some sort of child genius, but never got the chance to show it off...*that's my backstory for him and I'm sticking to it*smile*)

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

I always thought that James was some sort of child genius, but never got the chance to show it off

OMG I love that!! I've always sort of just alluded to him being a bookworm as a kid/teenager, but the hidden genius...that's brillant. :D :D

[inthekeyofd.livejournal.com]

I usually do write that when I write a J/S story, that Sawyer is a genius but hides it..I wrote that as a part of Sawyer's backstory in "Cowboys and Angels"

The reason is, I think that Sawyer is underestimated, and with what happened to him as a kid, (he probably had to change schools and or had to live by his wits) no one either knew he was so intelligent other than his parents, or he was never given the chance to show it, or he was even afraid to..or he simply shut down.

No one can run those cons and not be intelligent and the reading that just adds to my theory. *smile*

[alliecat8.livejournal.com]

So...could Sawyer be analyzing why his father was so "grievously injured" by his mother's adultery that he killed them both?

*ponders*

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

O___O

See, here's where your psychology stuff pwns me, LOL. Wow. I hadn't even thought to ponder that.

*ponders with you*

[demonqueen666.livejournal.com]

Oooh, interesting. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised that Sawyer would read that sort of thing through...you'd think he'd quickly get uncomfortable with how it relates to his real life situation and chuck it. Or maybe he doesn't see that yet, or he's in denial...?

On more fangirly note, yay for the return of Bookworm!Sawyer ^_^ (and I kind of miss the franken-glasses already...;_;)

And I actually saw the show this week! So I can talk to other people about it! And even got to make my own commentary post! I'm so thrilled it's stupid.

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

you'd think he'd quickly get uncomfortable with how it relates to his real life situation and chuck it

But see, he's reluctant to talk about his issues with others, and yet he's always shown to be very self aware. I think he'd read a book that mirrors his own life's circumstances, if for no other reason than to remind himself of royal fucked up he is. :P

[demonqueen666.livejournal.com]

This is true. Because if there's one thing Sawyer seems to live to do, it's remind himself (and others) that he's damaged goods.

[philomel.livejournal.com]

Oh man, look at that cover! So Seventies, I love it! Yay for the University of Hatch Library!

as he talks to his childhood friend who has become a priest

And why does that make me have thoughts of Sawyer/Eko...?

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

Yay for the University of Hatch Library!

BWAHA! Word. XD

And yay you for picking up on the priest angel! Maybe it's a hint that Sawyer will eventually confess something to Eko?

I'm reading WAY too much into this, I know...

[ellel.livejournal.com]

The story moves quickly as Lancelot recalls the events leading up to his crime.
Sounds like Sawyer is given more things to think about and more memories to analyze.And I'd like to find this book...

[foxxcub.livejournal.com]

I agree, he needs to read about deeper things than bunnies, hee.

[ellel.livejournal.com]

To his defense I'll say that "Watership Down" is a creepy book-bunnies at war,killing each other.Bunnies are supposed to be cute and fluffy and not fearless warriors,lol.

[ficangel.livejournal.com]

Huh. To AbeBooks I must go!

And this adds nothing to a comment that was already about nothing, but I look at that expression in the pic, and I fall into giggles. Not your most flattering, Jamie-baby.

[isis2015.livejournal.com]

There are so many literary references in this show, it's hard to keep up with. Sawyer and his books, Locke "alphabetizing" (still don't really buy that because you don't have to turn a book upside down and shake it to alphebatize). Plus the whole weird Hemmingway vs. Dostoyevsky thing.

And also...glasses. O-O Four eyes Sawyer is back. ;) But I shouldn't joke about that as my appauling vision is second only to my mother's in my house.

[zenana7.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this so I didn't have to do my own research!

Title of book is interesting too, because of the whole Lancelot-Guinevere-Arthur love triangle. Which is probably why Percy picked that title too, but seems appropriate for outsider Sawyer/Lancelot vs. Dr. Jack/King Arthur. (Of course there's Arthur/Lancelot slash (http://legends.phoenixfyre.net/titles.php?PHPSESSID=446a7927a63038cf405aa5e6e7c72d09) out there.)