I read Viper's Tangle earlier this year, during Lent, and this time as I read the first section I found myself, as Sean said, looking for hints and signs. I felt so much compassion for Louis in the first chapters of the novel on my second read. How he feels unloveable, how he rejoices when he thinks Isa does love him. And how crushed he is when he thinks she never did love him. I think when he talks about that feeling of rejection, it is a genuine confession. It was so healing when he finally realized that Isa really did love him. And so tragic thinking of all the wasted years he spent certain she did not.
As I listened to the episode and was thinking about the conversion of the rich man, the importance of the letters and of his diary in communicating the truths of Isa's love and of his conversion, and of how Isa's death, losing his wife, was partly what freed him to let go of his illusions and to be open to conversion and how in a way her piety was a barrier for him.... I started to think of the story of Elisabeth Leseur, a French noblewoman whose husband was an atheist while she was a devout Catholic. After her death from cancer her husband experienced a conversion and eventually became a priest. He later published her diary, which was a testament to her years of prayer and sacrifice for his sake. The diary was published in 1917 or 1918, I think. I find myself wondering if it was in part an inspiration to Mauriac.
In light of the part of your discussion on what is Maurriac saying about salvation for the wealthy., it has me wondering whether we might be better off praying for poverty, or at least praying, Dear God, don't make me rich. Of course, rich is a bit in the eye of the beholder, but Louie fits in anyone's definition.
I am grateful for where the book goes and the subtlety. It's made me pray differently for my Louie, for sure.
I think so. That's really what the "daily bread" petition of the Lord's prayer is asking–it harkens back to the manna in the wilderness that wouldn't last more than 24 hours. It echoes Agur's prayer in Proverbs 30: 'don't make me too poor, lest I steal and profane the name of God; nor too rich, lest I forget him altogether.'
This is a side note, but in the beginning of the novel, Louis mentions having made his First Communion and that being the only time he received the sacrament. So while he never showed himself to be religiously minded, he would have been baptized already in order to receive First Communion. He wouldn’t have needed to be received in the Church, though he certainly stood in need of Confession. Mauriac is intentionally vague whether any of those private conversations with the priest led to Confession. Had it, he could have received Communion. It does make me wonder if the priest advised waiting, the reader can only know what we are told. In many ways, this made me think of the last chapters of The End of the Affair.
I know this is was mentioned in the prior episode, but I was reading my Daughter "Madeline's Rescue" and there is a scene at Deux Magot. And it seems it refers to it as a place of questionable repute.
Also, the Isa scene with the kisses stuck out in my mind as well.
I read Viper's Tangle earlier this year, during Lent, and this time as I read the first section I found myself, as Sean said, looking for hints and signs. I felt so much compassion for Louis in the first chapters of the novel on my second read. How he feels unloveable, how he rejoices when he thinks Isa does love him. And how crushed he is when he thinks she never did love him. I think when he talks about that feeling of rejection, it is a genuine confession. It was so healing when he finally realized that Isa really did love him. And so tragic thinking of all the wasted years he spent certain she did not.
As I listened to the episode and was thinking about the conversion of the rich man, the importance of the letters and of his diary in communicating the truths of Isa's love and of his conversion, and of how Isa's death, losing his wife, was partly what freed him to let go of his illusions and to be open to conversion and how in a way her piety was a barrier for him.... I started to think of the story of Elisabeth Leseur, a French noblewoman whose husband was an atheist while she was a devout Catholic. After her death from cancer her husband experienced a conversion and eventually became a priest. He later published her diary, which was a testament to her years of prayer and sacrifice for his sake. The diary was published in 1917 or 1918, I think. I find myself wondering if it was in part an inspiration to Mauriac.
Here's a link to a page about Élisabeth Leseur: https://www.homeofthemother.org/en/magazine/selected-articles/saints/12575-elisabeth-leseur
In light of the part of your discussion on what is Maurriac saying about salvation for the wealthy., it has me wondering whether we might be better off praying for poverty, or at least praying, Dear God, don't make me rich. Of course, rich is a bit in the eye of the beholder, but Louie fits in anyone's definition.
I am grateful for where the book goes and the subtlety. It's made me pray differently for my Louie, for sure.
I think so. That's really what the "daily bread" petition of the Lord's prayer is asking–it harkens back to the manna in the wilderness that wouldn't last more than 24 hours. It echoes Agur's prayer in Proverbs 30: 'don't make me too poor, lest I steal and profane the name of God; nor too rich, lest I forget him altogether.'
I read that the Latin root "vipera" comes from "vivus" meaning "living" and "parera" meaning "to beget." Double entendre?
This is a side note, but in the beginning of the novel, Louis mentions having made his First Communion and that being the only time he received the sacrament. So while he never showed himself to be religiously minded, he would have been baptized already in order to receive First Communion. He wouldn’t have needed to be received in the Church, though he certainly stood in need of Confession. Mauriac is intentionally vague whether any of those private conversations with the priest led to Confession. Had it, he could have received Communion. It does make me wonder if the priest advised waiting, the reader can only know what we are told. In many ways, this made me think of the last chapters of The End of the Affair.
I know this is was mentioned in the prior episode, but I was reading my Daughter "Madeline's Rescue" and there is a scene at Deux Magot. And it seems it refers to it as a place of questionable repute.
Also, the Isa scene with the kisses stuck out in my mind as well.