The Grace That Keeps This World By Tom Bailey

Part 1 We have spent time discussing what Greek viewers would have experienced if they attended a play, always a tragedy. Here we defined the staging of the play as well as the structure of the plays content.

For this first section, please discuss how Bailey uses that same structure and staging in The Grace That Keeps This World.

As a reader and thinker, discuss the effectiveness of this format, considering any challenges in reading the novel as well as its strengths in keeping us focused on the tragedy and creating characters we understand and care about.

Part 2 Comparing and Contrasting the journeys

In literature a common idea is the character on a journey. While the novels focus is on Kevin, especially with the use of The Odyssey, giving the most detail about him, Gary is also on a journey.

In this section, compare and contrast each mans journey. Here you will want to be able to develop what each man plans to accomplish as well as the steps he takes. What allows each of them to complete his journey? How do we know the journey has ended? (Be sure to refer to The Odyssey in your answer.)

Part 3 Randomness and Grace

These are kind of conflicting ideas. On one hand we have randomness in the world, causing unexpected events to occur, sometimes good things, sometimes causing harm. But we also have the idea of grace that sustains us, the undeserved comfort and forgiveness that gives us a second life, the ability to survive and to continue to live in the world

This is the idea that we see in Baileys use of the story of Lazarus **and the naming of the goose who comes back to life, and even the idea of nature that returns each season as Gary develops in the Epilogue. We also see it in the parable Father Anthony refers to, the Prodigal son** who returns home after squandering his inheritance, and his father rejoices at his return, regardless of the reason why.

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