-Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting
I think that Resurrection (what ever it exactly means) is so much profounder an idea than mere immortality. I am sure we don’t just “go on.” We really die and are really built up again (C.S. Lewis, Reference).
I thought of that quote from Lewis several times as I read this book with my children.
What if you could drink from the fountain of youth and live forever? What if drugs could extend life beyond what we presently imagine? Those are compelling questions. And it’s the question below those questions that Tuck Everlasting really addresses. I happen to think it addresses it in a beautiful way.
Winnie is faced with a decision. I think she sides with C.S. Lewis. I hope I would too.
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This reminds me of a post I just read on the subject of immortality, as perceived by the modern world:
http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2015/05/the-trouble-with-limits/
In the article, they reference the humanist and bioethicist Leon Kass’ erudite work on the subject:
http://www.firstthings.com/article/2001/05/lchaim-and-its-limits-why-not-immortality
Interestingly, Kass, who was chairman of the President’s Council on Bioethics from 2001 to 2005, believes that many of our questions about science and technology must be answered via the humanities; that is, that science and technology are not in and of themselves capable to answer “if” we should do a thing, “why” we should do a thing, or even fully “how”. He directs us not toward technical manuals, but towards stories to explore these kinds of questions.
Asking ourselves if we would behave like Winnie in “Tuck Everlasting”, is exactly the method of wrestling through the great questions of science that Kass believes we should go through.
I will read the articles; thanks for sharing.
I’ve listened to Kass before and read a couple of essays by him (I was introduced to his work through Mars Hill Audio). I really just wanted here to say ‘amen’ to everything you wrote. I remember Ken Myers pointing out that Kass’ first act as president of the Bioethics council was to make the members read a novel for discussion. Such a thing seems so strange now (in our time that is), but he wanted them to do precisely what you’re talking about.