Hi folks! I hope this works now since I have had my computer fixed...If it does I will be so very happy. And I will try to catch up with all the blogs that never showed up....
Thoughts on The Magus
I was not expecting to be so drawn into this book when I began reading. I regret to admit that I assumed it would another dry school-assigned book; I guess I should have more faith in Dr. Sexson's choice in literature. This book was quite unlike any book I had ever read. And it was more than just the plot that differed from other books. What really threw me was the forced parallel to The Tempest. I found it super fascinating how the author did not leave it as a undercurrent that the reader had to find but rather seemed to shove it into the reader's face. The reader could easily draw parallels between the characters from the book and the play, and the characters in The Magus claimed to be taking roles of those in The Tempest...
Conchis- Prospero
Nicholas- Ferdinand
Lily/Julie- Miranda
Joe- Caliban
June/Rose- Ariel
This being such an obvious and forced parallel teases the reader, suggesting there is a much stronger underlying meaning to the novel. Possibly the only world that can describe this deeper meaning is one that comes up first in chapter 53 and is repeated through the rest of the novel. Eleutheria. Freedom. Nicholas's whole ordeal is to show him that freedom only comes when you shed religion and political thought and thus be left only with reason and humanity. I find this very interesting. In this way fee will only exists if you throw off the chains of previous beliefs and hold on to only reason.I, personally, do not agree with these ideas; but I do find it fascinating to think about.
Why don't you agree? I'd love to hear your reasons.
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