We are still working our way through an English translation of St Exupery’s “Wind Sand and Stars”. In today’s session, we read through and discussed sections 4-6. Our next session will be May 25th.
uillaumet lost in the Andes – chapter II, section II, page 30-40 (end of chapter II)
Chapter IV (pages 48-62) – the cyclone
Chapter V, section II, pages 68-74 (end of chapter V) – night in the Sahara
Chapter VI, pages 76-82 (end of chapter VI) – the snakes under the table
Chapter VII, section I (pages 85-90) – the gazelle in the Sahara
Chapter VII, section V pages 106-119 – Bark the slave
Guillaumet lost in the Andes – chapter II, section II, page 30-40 (end of chapter II)
Chapter IV (pages 48-62) – the cyclone
Chapter V, section II, pages 68-74 (end of chapter V) – night in the Sahara
We had some difficulty understanding section 3.
Update: After reading section 3 again, the key seems to be the last paragraph on page 71. He is remembering a house he lived in when he was a child. For some strange reason, the memory of this house becomes very strong to him while he is lying on the sand of the Sahara night. He realizes that his existence, his meaning, is not just the present (Sahara), but also his past. When he was a child, he liked to tease his old nurse (“Mademoiselle”): she was so domestic and domesticated, while he enjoyed being a rough, wild boy. But now he realizes that it was not only his wild rough, boyish adventures that created his personality, his character: it was also the house and the quiet, solid, domestic routines that formed his character and are still a vital part of him, perhaps even more solid and important than his present Saharan adventure.
I think this is what he means by “But that night in the Sahara, naked between the sand and the stars, I did her justice.” In other words, he finally discovered a reason to respect that domestic and tame Mademoiselle.
What do you think? Any other, different interpretations?
The next session will be on Wednesday April 27th. If this is inconvenient, please let me know. I plan to continue reading “Wind, Sand and Stars”, continuing down the list of sections.
Our next session will be next week. I plan to focus on the following episodes from “Wind, Sand and Stars”:
Guillaumet lost in the Andes – chapter II, section II, page 30-40 (end of chapter II)
Chapter IV (pages 48-62) – the cyclone
Chapter V, section II, pages 68-74 (end of chapter V) – night in the Sahara
Chapter VI, pages 76-82 (end of chapter VI) – the snakes under the table
Chapter VII, section I (pages 85-90) – the gazelle in the Sahara
Chapter VII, section V pages 106-119 – Bark the slave
Chapter IX, pages 174-189 – the Spanish Civil War
Chapter IX, section VI pages 215-224.
Chapter X – conclusion.
We won’t read ALL the above sections next Wednesday! But I would be interested to hear your comments. In particular, I hope you will tell me those sections, episodes, sentences or phrases which you particularly remember.
I look forward to seeing you Wednesday March 16th.
Thank you to all who attended Wednesday’s session, and helped to make it such an interesting discussion. We didn’t read very much of the book, but we did talk a lot about different, interesting subjects.
I think the Pyrenees Mountains were mentioned in the part that we read. Here is a photo sent to me by an old acquaintance who lives in France. This photo is the view from their garden. (Click on the photo to see a larger version.)
We discussed the episode in the book where the young pilot makes his first trip. His day begins with a ride in a bus to the airport. Everyone on the bus is sleepy or asleep, and many of them are on their way to sleepy, bureaucratic jobs. We talked about what St Exupery might have intended by this episode: does “asleep” have more than one meaning?
The movie I mentioned, starring Keanu Reeves is Point Break (called ハート・ブルー in Japanese). Patrick Swayze plays the charismatic leader of the gang of bank robbers. (See the trailer here).
We discussed the association of light with knowledge. People who have achieved a profound understanding of human nature and life are said to be “enlightened”. I mentioned Jesus being referred to as the “light of the world”.
John 1:4 – “In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. ”
John 9:5 – “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 12:46 – “I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness”.
Here is a famous painting, which hangs in the college I attended: William Holman Hunt, The Light of the World, 1851-53. Oil on canvas over panel. 49 3/8 x 23 1/2 in. Keble College, Oxford. Notice that Jesus in the picture is knocking on a door, as if to say,”Are you awake in there, or asleep?” Wikipedia tells us,
"Light of the World", by Holman Hunt.
The Light of the World (1853–54) is an allegorical painting by William Holman Hunt representing the figure of Jesus preparing to knock on an overgrown and long-unopened door, illustrating Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. … The door in the painting has no handle, and can therefore be opened only from the inside, representing “the obstinately shut mind”. Hunt, 50 years after painting it, felt he had to explain the symbolism. The original, painted at night in a makeshift hut at Worcester Park Farm in Surrey, is now in a side room off the large chapel at Keble College, Oxford. Toward the end of his life, Hunt painted a life-size version, which was hung in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, after a world tour where the picture drew large crowds.This painting inspired much popular devotion in the late Victorian period and inspired several musical works, including Arthur Sullivan’s 1873 oratorio The Light of the World.
We also discussed “satori” and I learned that the Chinese character for this word is made up of two parts: heart and to know. I found that very interesting. Wikipedia tells me,
Satori is sometimes loosely used interchangeably with kensho, but kensho refers to the first perception of the Buddha-Nature or True-Nature, sometimes referred to as “awakening.” Distinct from kensho, which is not a permanent realization but a clear glimpse of the true nature of existence, satori is used to refer to a “deep” or lasting realization of the nature of existence.
In India, there is the word “guru“, which also has an interesting connection with light and darkness: Wikipedia tells me,
Guru is composed of the syllables gu and ru, the former signifying ‘darkness’, and the latter signifying ‘the destroyer of that [darkness]’, hence a guru is one characterized as someone who dispels spiritual ignorance (darkness), with spiritual illumination (light).
When I was a student, I often listened to the music of a remarkable guitarist called John McLaughlin. McLaughlin became the student of a guru called Sri Chinmoy and his music was influenced by Indian poetry and music. One of McLaughlin’s pieces used the words from some ancient Hindu philosophical texts called the Upanishads. The words are,
“Lead me from the asat to the sat (in the McLaughlin song, the words were “from the unreal to the real”) Lead me from darkness to light Lead me from death to immortality Om Peace Peace Peace.” (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad — I.iii.28)
I leave you with a video of John McLaughlin and his acoustic band “Shakti” playing “La Danse Du Bonheur”, where he mixes traditional Indian music with modern Jazz. Here (sorry, WordPress won’t let me embed the video for some reason).
The February session will be held on Wednesday February 23rd, at the usual time and place.
Here, I will post some answers to questions that were asked in the January session. I will also post links to matters that were discussed in the January session.
Later, I will post some suggestions for chapters or sections of “Wind, Sand and Stars” to read. We don’t have time to read the whole book, page by page.
You can help me choose chapters or sections. Tell me which chapter or section you enjoyed reading (in English or in Japanese).
Also, as you are reading, ask your questions in the comments. I will answer in the comments or at the next (February) session.
January 26th, the last Wednesday in January, 2011, will be our next session date.
We will begin reading a new book, Wind, Sand and Stars (click the link to buy or to see the details of the book on Amazon Japan) by the French pilot and poet, Antoine de St Exupery. The Japanese translation is 人間の土地 (新潮文庫). (Click the link to buy or to see the details of the book on Amazon Japan.)
This is a good chance to drop out or drop back in. I expect we will spend at least 3 sessions discussing this book.
The next book after that will be The Natural by American author Bernard Malamud (Japanese Wikipedia entry here). After that has not been decided, so feel free to tell me your requests or suggestions.
Our next session will be September 8th, 3-5 pm. We will discuss “Out of the Silent Planet” and go over the answers to the questions.
What shall we read next? I propose the next book in Lewis’ trilogy: “Perelandra”. But I am open to any other suggestions. If you have other ideas, please bring them to the next session and/or email me.
(click the link to buy or to see the details of the book on Amazon Japan) by the French pilot and poet, 
. (Click the link to buy or to see the details of the book on Amazon Japan.)
by American author 
