A River Runs Through...
Illustration
A River Runs Through It is an autobiographical story by Norman Maclean about his growing up with his brother, Paul in the Montana home of his father, a Presbyterian minister and avid fly-
fisherman. Norman worked for a while with the Forest Service, attended college, and eventually became a university professor. Paul, an artist as a fisherman, was employed as a newspaperman, but spent most of his life getting drunk, chasing women, and frequently fighting in bars. The two brothers, with totally different temperaments and lifestyles, did occasionally run around together. But more often, it was Norman rescuing Paul from trouble, dragging him out of bars and brothels, and taking him home where his mother always welcomed him. Norman's efforts at getting Paul to quit his drinking and straighten out failed. When Paul was finally beaten to death, ostensibly in a fight over unpaid gambling debts, father and son asked each other: "Do you think I could have helped him?" Norman Maclean, who did not write the book until he was 73, replied, "How can a question be answered that asks a lifetime of questions." Clearly, Maclean had asked himself the question over and over, as to why he had failed to keep his brother from such an unfortunate and untimely death.
Jesus wept in anguish because his effort at saving the people of Jerusalem were rejected by them and therefore failed.
-- Guettler
fisherman. Norman worked for a while with the Forest Service, attended college, and eventually became a university professor. Paul, an artist as a fisherman, was employed as a newspaperman, but spent most of his life getting drunk, chasing women, and frequently fighting in bars. The two brothers, with totally different temperaments and lifestyles, did occasionally run around together. But more often, it was Norman rescuing Paul from trouble, dragging him out of bars and brothels, and taking him home where his mother always welcomed him. Norman's efforts at getting Paul to quit his drinking and straighten out failed. When Paul was finally beaten to death, ostensibly in a fight over unpaid gambling debts, father and son asked each other: "Do you think I could have helped him?" Norman Maclean, who did not write the book until he was 73, replied, "How can a question be answered that asks a lifetime of questions." Clearly, Maclean had asked himself the question over and over, as to why he had failed to keep his brother from such an unfortunate and untimely death.
Jesus wept in anguish because his effort at saving the people of Jerusalem were rejected by them and therefore failed.
-- Guettler
