William Saroyan, forward for The Time of Your Life
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I don’t disagree with the sentiment, but think it is a little too romatic for the real world. I would very much disagree that I somehow cosmically share anyone else’s guilt. And I have no problem despising unholy hateful evil people. I saw them shoot one of my heroes in the throat this year. I also hope I never have to take a life – and despite what kind of person they are or why it might happen, I have no dobut I would regret it.
Overall, it is a beautifully naive sentiment.
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I figured I would beat Robert too this one.
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What I found curious about Saroyan’s play is the Blick is the embodiment of evil.
Nick threatens to tear Blick to pieces for beating Wesley.
Joe tries to shoot lick with an unloaded revolver for his cruelty toward Kitty Duval.
Kit Carson finally shoots Blick dead after Blick clubbed Kit Carson over the head although Kit Carson was drunk and after sobering up enough to take aim could not abide by Blick’s cruelty.
But in a Thomistic sense, Blick is not the embodiment of evil. He can’t be. Blick is seeking his own idea of what is “good.” Blick’s body was made by God, so Blick can’t embody evil.
Now consider when this play came out and won so many accolades on Broadway:
It’s 1939.
Hitler is in power.
The US was as divided then as it is now.
The conversation between Nick and Krupp could have been overheard in any lounge, coffee shop or barbershop yesterday (or tomorrow)
It’s not naive as it is deep.
Your thoughts?
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Judging from the page you posted I agree it is not naive. Don’t mess with perfection.
Judge no one lest you will be judged.
Hate sin but not the sinners for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
God is righteous and he is love.
Help those who can be helped because it will make them happy and you too will be happy.
In all things there are seasons, a time to laugh and a time to cry, a time to rest and a time to work, and a time to live and a time to die.
Have no regrets about the decisions you have made in your life. At the time you felt as though you were right and who knows, maybe you were right, but it just did not seem like it. So, forgive yourself and put it behind you.
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