Old Friends Revisited

A few days ago, I said that I was spending my time rereading some favorite novels that I read a long time ago. I have come to realize that rereading a favorite book is like visiting an old friend that I haven’t seen in years. In revisiting these old friends, I have come to discover that the characters in these stories whether heroes or villains are cherished friends.?

How can I ever forget Frodo, Gandalf, Pippin or Merry? Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn? Elizabeth Bennet or Mr. Darcy? Let’s not forget Tom and Ma Joad. Ahab, Ishmael, and Starbuck grace the halls of my memories. Who can forget Dimmesdale, Hester , Pearl or Chillingworth? Or Pip, Estella, and Miss Havishham. There are many other friends too numerous to mention.?

In addition to the characters are the famous opening lines. Openers like:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

Or:

“Call me Ishmael.”

Yes. Old friends all. So when I read about the current wave of book banning and burning, I am filled with fury and disgust. While one may not mind seeing Chillingworth consigned to the flame, remember that little Pearl is also suffering the punishment of the damned along with Chillingworth.

It is the fate of memorable characters to suffer at the hands of the ignorant and stupid.