A knife has two sides. We laymen who live in the world just stay on one side of the knife, and to reach the other side (the so-called way of redemption), we must cross the blade. But the blade is too sharp for ordinary people to get through. Why is it difficult to cross? Because when you cross the blade, the blade will cut off all your connections with the world, and we laymen are unwilling to cut it off.
When Larry was a child, his parents died and his family ties were cut off. He abandoned his fiancee Isabella and broke off love; He gave up his parents' inheritance and cut off his wealth.
In Larry's own words, it means "Don't be impatient, be easy-going, be merciful and lose a word".
There are six main characters in the book: Eliot, who is absurd and full of copper smell, still cares about his family, but often shows it through his desire to control others' happy life; Isabel, gentle and pure, is just an ordinary girl influenced by aristocratic life, although she tries to lure Sophie away because she wants to have Larry. Gray, who regards success or failure as a hero, will always be a simple and honest friend and equally loyal to love and career; As for Susan and Sophie, after facing the blow of fate, they each chose their own destination in a way that they could adapt to.
At the end of the article, the last sentence is "I inadvertently wrote down the way to success for everyone". At the end of the story, every character really lived a willing life. This may be Mao Mu's understanding of life.
I guess Eliot and Larry in the novel are the incarnations of Mao Mu in the secular and spiritual world. Eliot is in the middle of the upper class, and Larry is in a huge ideological whirlpool. I can't help but sigh: my inner yearning is unattainable! This is not to criticize Mao Mu, but to express his helplessness.
There is a dialogue in the novel that impressed me deeply:
Isabel asked Larry puzzled, "What's the use of the wisdom you are looking for?"
Larry replied, "When I find it, I think I will know."
Larry is just a human being. He just glimpsed from intuition that there may be more valuable wisdom and philosophy hidden in the universe, but Larry is also human. He couldn't stand the arranged "broad road" and stubbornly embarked on the road of seeking truth. Mao Mu chose "blank" for Larry's ending. Even if life seems ordinary after it is realized, only the sense of belonging, passion and mission, as well as the realization of self-worth, can let the parties taste it themselves.
Of course, we don't know whether the prince and princess in the fairy tale will live happily together, and we don't know whether Larry can move on in the future, but I believe that even Larry, who is just a car rental driver, has already enjoyed the peak of life wisdom. Isn't the journey of life a process of exploring in question marks and periods again and again?
Do friends believe that there is a better life experience than worldly success? I just want to say that you will never understand what you don't want to understand.
Excerpt from Zhihu
? I spent ten hours reading Oscar Pistorius this weekend. I really like reading books. It's wonderful to be immersed in them. When you read a sentence describing the scenery, you can't help but paint a wonderful picture in your mind; When you touch a sentence that resonates, all the cells in your body are as excited as hormones. I have to say that books are indeed the treasures of mankind. Undoubtedly, writers who can create excellent works are even more admirable.
The book Oscar Pistorius reminds me of the protagonist Larry. When he returned to his hometown after the world war, everyone advised him to look for a job. However, he knew that this was not what he wanted. My heart trembled for him when he decided to leave his hometown to find the answer without hesitation.
? At that time, I was thinking about a question: if one day I was hit hard and couldn't find the meaning of life, I would definitely go to Xinjiang to teach. Now, I can't take care of my family's feelings, get rid of the secular imprisonment, and stay away from this bustling and noisy city ... I have too much worry and don't even have the courage to take the first step. I often encourage students at school to do what they want bravely. As long as you take the first step, you will succeed 50%. I have no idea that I am the coward myself.
? When Larry traveled around the world looking for answers, he came to India, a country with sacred beliefs. Larry found peace and quiet here.
? I remember when I went to Zhaoqing to study, a teacher said: Many cultural details in China are gradually being abandoned and forgotten. India is a different country. Although its economy is underdeveloped, its cultural heritage has been preserved. At that time, I was thinking: What is the cultural heritage of India? Clothing, festivals, architecture ... Now, I think the most important thing is faith. Most people in China are atheists at present, and I am one of them. I remember when I was a freshman, there was a foreign teacher in the school who often invited students to his house on weekends. Over time, there will be a fixed student group. Surprisingly, these students later became Christians. How attractive is this foreign teacher? Or did the dazed freshmen find the belief in life? ……
? There are several chapters about human nature at the back of this book, which puzzles me. Maybe my literary accomplishment is not enough, maybe my experience is too shallow. ...
? It is very difficult to read a book thoroughly. Now I just want to find sentences from books that I can shout for.
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