Book Club Chapter X: Scalene Trinities

Continuing her analogy between the Trinity and the human creator where its basic description is the Father analogous to the creator's Idea; the Son to the Energy in producing the story (writing it, editing it, working out the expression of the Idea); and the Holy Spirit to the Power of the created work (what response it invokes in its readers), Dorothy Sayers compares earthly creators to scalene triangles.

She explains the perfect co-equality of the Divine Trinity and its perfect Idea, Expression/Energy, and Power, and contrasts it with the imperfect human creator, who finds it very difficult to come near that perfect balance or expression. Many works are "Father-centered," that is, the Idea overpowers the form. Many more are "Son-centered" in that they are exquisite in their language and ability to invoke images in the reader's mind, but lack a clear idea that gives the story purpose, or continuity of form.

I think it's a very interesting way of analyzing literature. I've read many books that I cannot now say what the theme or idea was at their center. But they held me long enough to finish. Sayers would say these are Son-centered stories,

"... it enchants us in the reading by the elegant succession of its parts, and yet leaves in our memories no distinct impression of itself as a whole ..."

Yep, I've read a lot of those. But I don't consider it time wasted. It provided me a time of entertainment and distraction which is sometimes what I need. This was especially true when my children were babies and I was always tired.

This is one of the longer chapters and I've overly simplified it here. On to chapter XI and the Problem Picture.