Morals

I've been listening to a lot of audiobooks lately, while I'm cleaning or sewing or cooking. It's nice. I'm listening right now to 'The Paris Wife'

which is a book about Ernest Hemingway's first wife (he had four). I'm about half way through the book.

I recently finished a book called "The Namesake"

This one is about an Indian boy, born in the US, very American, but his parent's are very Indian. He feels lost between the two cultures. The writing was absolutely beautiful. Honestly, I don't know if I've experienced writing this good since 'Beloved' (my favorite book in the whole world). However I didn't love it. I kept thinking I would. How could I not with such art in word form and such a great topic. What it was lacking was morals. The main character seemed to lack morals. This was especially bothersome to me, because I consider him someone who should've had morals. Growing up with parents who had a strong moral compass of right and wrong, and no doubt taught him. But there was a definite lack of God, though his parents must've had religious convictions. Right?

Anyway the Hemingway book seems to be lacking in morals too. Characters in both books engage in adultery very nonchalantly. And yes there are consequences for the characters that they don't like. But even those are experienced with relative indifference. I would experience those consequences with months of crying and torn heart and despair and anger and guilt and upheaval.

Similarly their joys are experienced as if hearing music through a closed door, ear to a glass. You can tell it's beautiful, but you miss the piercing of the instruments. You cannot feel it, rising beside your heart. Perhaps it's just the writing of the authors, but it gives me pause to think.

Do lack of morals result in shallow feelings?

I have to contrast these works with Jane Eyre. Which I LOVED. Didn't expect to love it as much as I do, but wow. It's a classic for a reason. She is perhaps the most morally strict character I've read about. Right up there with Hester Prynne. Both of these women experienced their pain and happiness so acutely. Both obsessed over the consequences of choices before they made them. The other characters seemed numb and thoughtless by comparison.

So, even though you may not have read the books, thoughts? I wish I was at a book club right now. Do having and adhering to morals (whatever they may be, so long as you believe there is a right and wrong and you should do the right) make you feel things more intensely? Does having a what-I-feel-like-doing-is-a-good-thing-to-do attitude make you less deeply feel repulsion, relief, betrayal, safety, hope, bitterness? And if that attitude does dull the feelings, should those people feel like they're missing out on something in the human experience?

Hopefully I'm not too bizarre or offensive here. I'm so curious about what you think.

I agree with what Alisha says. My proof is in my favorite book of all time: Peace Like a River. If you haven't read it I suggest you do. The dad in the book is an example of a character with great morals. --This portion is written by Paul in response to Alisha's post.