Was not just at the mercy

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Marius Hancu - 31 Oct 2008 10:14 GMT

Hello:

In the last sentence, how would you read
"I was giving this account of myself"
would that be
"I was providing this report on his progress in life?"

In the same sentence, I assume
"[I] was not just at the mercy"
means
"[I] was not just at the mercy _of the fate_?"

------
[The permanent fight between Augie and his brother, Simon. Augie's in a
hospital at the time of these thoughts, his mother in a retirement home,
his smaller brother Georgie in a home for the disabled.]

[...] and [I was] reflecting how of all our famiiy, including old
Grandma, Simon was the only one who had managed to stay out of an
institution. But now I didn't have any more reason to envy him. Envy?
Why, I thought I had it all over him, seeing I was married to a woman I
loved and therefore I was advancing on the only true course of life. I
told myself my brother was the kind of man who could only leave the
world as he found it and hand on the fate he inherited to any children
he might now have--I didn't for sure know whether he had any. Yes, this
was how such people were subject to all the laws in the book, like the
mountain peaks leaning toward their respective magnetic poles, or like
crabs in the weeds or crystals in the caves. Whereas I, with the help of
love [he's looking forward to his marriage to Stella], had gotten in on
a much better thing and was giving this account of myself that reality
comes from and was not just at the mercy.

Augie March, by Bellow, p. 532
------

Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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CDB - 31 Oct 2008 13:08 GMT

> Hello:

> In the last sentence, how would you read
> "I was giving this account of myself"
> would that be
> "I was providing this report on his progress in life?"

It seems to me to slide along a range that includes "telling this
story about myself", "justifying my existence" and "living my life in
a certain way" (in a fight, to say that someone gave a good account of
himself is to say that he fought well). Just as slippery is the word
"reality". If reality comes from the story end of the "account"
spectrum, then perhaps it means something like "verisimilitude"; if
from the life end, then more like "genuineness". So long, novelist,
it's been real.

> In the same sentence, I assume
> "[I] was not just at the mercy"
> means
> "[I] was not just at the mercy _of the fate_?"

Or of others. He may have left it blank intentionally. I don't
suppose you know the name of the hospital he was in? "Mercy Hospital"
is not uncommon.

> [...] Whereas I, with the help of love [he's
> looking forward to his marriage to Stella], had gotten in on a much
> better thing and was giving this account of myself that reality
> comes from and was not just at the mercy.

> Augie March, by Bellow, p. 532

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Marius Hancu - 31 Oct 2008 14:38 GMT

> > In the last sentence, how would you read
> > "I was giving this account of myself"
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> a certain way" (in a fight, to say that someone gave a good account of
> himself is to say that he fought well).

All interesting alternatives.

> Just as slippery is the word
> "reality". If reality comes from the story end of the "account"
> spectrum, then perhaps it means something like "verisimilitude"; if
> from the life end, then more like "genuineness". So long, novelist,
> it's been real.

Indeed.

I didn't want to muddy the waters even more:-)

It may even say that Augie thinks his life is more real because at the
time of telling his story, Simon seems to lead a double life, with a
wife and a lover on the sides.

> > In the same sentence, I assume
> > "[I] was not just at the mercy"
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> suppose you know the name of the hospital he was in? "Mercy Hospital"
> is not uncommon.

He may have done it intentionally indeed.
Unfortunately I don't have that name, but I don't think I read "Mercy
Hospital" anywhere in the novel. Will try to check.

> > [...] Whereas I, with the help of love [he's
> > looking forward to his marriage to Stella], had gotten in on a much
> > better thing and was giving this account of myself that reality
> > comes from and was not just at the mercy.
> > Augie March, by Bellow, p. 532

Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Mike Lyle - 31 Oct 2008 19:20 GMT

[...]

> Or of others. He may have left it blank intentionally. I don't
> suppose you know the name of the hospital he was in? "Mercy Hospital"
> is not uncommon.

[...]

Ob AUE: I assume "Mercy" in the name refers to the seven corporal works
of mercy, and possibly even to the seven spiritual ones: is that right?

ObOT: I was born in the Melbourne one: high-class nosh, my mother
recalls, with a little vase of flowers on each tray. They got her to
make soft toys to while away the time: I had a rabbit built from Terry
towelling, but haven't seen it for well over half a century. There must
have been an Australian craze for the things at the time, as my father,
away at the war, made a couple, too; but perhaps that was just a gesture
of husbandly or paternal solidarity. Or perhaps it was one of his
far-north stories, and he hadn't made them himself at all.

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Mike.

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CDB - 31 Oct 2008 20:43 GMT

> [...]
>> Or of others. He may have left it blank intentionally. I don't
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> works of mercy, and possibly even to the seven spiritual ones: is
> that right?

I'm willing to assume it too, whether it comes about directly or from
an original association with the Sisters of Mercy. I imagine the
hospitals were mostly Catholic in origin, as the spiritual works seem
to be, of course in the more catholic sense of the word. The Grace,
OTOH, was Salvation Army.

But thank you for this addition to my religious education, badly
neglected in youth. According to Second Exodus, an extremely Catholic
website, the spiritual WoM are:

Convert the sinner;
Instruct the ignorant;
Counsel the doubtful;
Comfort the sorrowful;
Bear wrongs patiently;
Forgive injuries;
Pray for the living and the dead.

The corporal stuff is much easier to remember, being mostly from
Matthew:

Feed the hungry;
Give drink to the thirsty;
Clothe the naked;
Shelter the homeless;
Visit the sick;
Visit those in prison;
Bury the dead.

It is slightly strange to think that I can check off all the items on
the second list except one, supposing that burying relatives doesn't
count. Maybe there's hope.

> ObOT: I was born in the Melbourne one: high-class nosh, my mother
> recalls, with a little vase of flowers on each tray. They got her to
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> solidarity. Or perhaps it was one of his far-north stories, and he
> hadn't made them himself at all.

Clearly, these are redemptory creatures summoned from the darkest
recesses of the Australian soul and your fraught national relationship
with the meat ones. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto Terry, Terry,
Terry the cloth bunny-pooh, ye have done it unto Me..

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R H Draney - 31 Oct 2008 22:34 GMT

CDB filted:

>Feed the hungry;
>Give drink to the thirsty;
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>the second list except one, supposing that burying relatives doesn't
>count. Maybe there's hope.

If feral cats count, I can claim all but two of those, and I fail to see how
trying to clothe them can constitute anything but cruelty....r

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / October 2008

Was not just at the mercy