Affliction lurks in the shadows all around us. It renders the afflicted inarticulate and tempts those around them to turn away. Muted Cry is a unique and compelling hybrid of frank memoir and philosophical reflection. Caroline J. Simon, an accomplished philosopher, fearlessly interrogates her sometimes thorny relationship with her brother, his affliction, and their shared family history, while also engaging French philosopher Simone Weil's life and thought. By telling a specific story with universal relevance, Simon provides an accessible and engaging window into the philosophy of one of the twentieth century's most distinctive voices.
Affliction is a complex form of suffering that uproots a life by damaging a person physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. It overwhelms the sufferer and baffles those around them. Yet Simone Weil compellingly describes how understanding affliction opens our eyes to deep truths about Christ, our humanity, and Christian faithfulness in God's precious, broken creation. In grappling with the impact of affliction on her brother's life, Simon illuminates the paradoxical nature of affliction and illustrates the meaning and cost of truly paying attention to the afflicted. With questions for reflection and group discussion, as well as recommendations for further reading, Muted Cry is a valuable resource for both educational use and private reading.
Table of Contents:
Author's Note
Introduction
Chapter One: Careening Downhill
Chapter Two: Miracle Shake
Chapter Three: Holey Safety Net
Chapter Four: Under the Rubble
Chapter Five: More than Cautionary Tales
Chapter Six: Not Seeing the Whole Chessboard
Chapter Seven: Dorothy Day Never Knew My Brother
Chapter Eight: Stung
Chapter Nine: Head of the House
Chapter Ten: Stretching Out a Withered Limb
Chapter Eleven: Bouts of Fragility
Chapter Twelve: Pulling Away
Chapter Thirteen: Smells of Childhood
Chapter Fourteen: Dusty Guestroom
Chapter Fifteen: Vigil
Chapter Sixteen: Tin Lockbox
Epilogue
Notes
Why Simone Weil?
Recommended Reading
Acknowledgements
Questions for Reflection and Group Discussion
About the Author :
Philosopher Caroline J. Simon has published five books and scores of book chapters and articles. Her books Bringing Sex into Focus: The Quest for Sexual Integrity and The Disciplined Heart: Love, Destiny, and Imagination grapple with aspects of human affection. Her other work explores topics at the intersection of philosophy, literature, and theology, as well as a wide range of ethical and higher-education issues.
Review :
While many memoirs tell a story of travail, Caroline Simon does something more complicated in this compelling personal narrative. Weaving together the family dynamics caused by a suffering sibling and the philosophy of Simone Weil, Simon takes us deep inside the problem of our role as witness. Who are we and what difference can we make when someone we love is in affliction and we can't get them out? --Amy Frykholm, journalist, scholar, and author
Redolent of Will Campbell's Brother to a Dragonfly and C. S. Lewis's A Grief Observed, Caroline Simon's Muted Cry unites memoir, prose elegy, and Christian meditation in touching witness to her brother Bill's affliction. Her truth-telling--about Bill, herself, their trials, and God's love in Christ--bears the marks of anguish and heroism, and also of hard-won wisdom and abiding faith. Muted Cry is a rare gift in its honesty and a moving invitation to see, really see, affliction even when it frightens and dismays. --Douglas Henry, dean of the Honors College, Baylor University
With clear and vivid descriptions, Caroline Simon throws open a window into her brother Bill's life of affliction. As Carol cares for Bill, she struggles to navigate chasms of disparity--of education, personality, and finances--raising valuable questions about what love looks like in practice. Simone Weil's evocative perspective on affliction, woven throughout, enhances the narrative's insight. --Lynne M. Baab, pastor, scholar, and author of Sabbath Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest and Nurturing Hope: Christian Pastoral Care in the Twenty-First Century
Simone Weil's reflections on affliction are among her most illuminating and important contributions to Christian spirituality. Caroline Simon's lucid and beautiful book brings a philosopher's clarity and a devoted sibling's wisdom to this extraordinary material. Simon's explorations elucidate and personalize Weil's thought in remarkable ways, and they offer unusually helpful guidance for anyone who desires to come alongside someone caught in the grip of affliction. This is a wonderful achievement. --Adam Neder, professor of theology and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Belmont University
Should we, can we, love those in our lives who are dysfunctional, alcoholic, inconsiderate, or unappreciative? Philosopher Caroline Simon lived those questions as her brother Bill's only family member--eliciting her support and her unmerited grace. Her well-told story bids us all to consider what Christ's command to love our neighbor, even the least of these, might mean for us. --David Myers, professor of psychology, Hope College, and author of How Do We Know Ourselves? Curiosities and Marvels of the Human Mind
I know of very few books that have been able to portray, concretely and in real life, what Simone Weil called "affliction," and to use Weil to shed light on this dark devastation of the soul. Caroline Simon is one of those rare writers to have done so, and to have done so well. --Eric O. Springsted, author of Simone Weil for the Twenty-First Century and cofounder of the American Weil Society
