Money and Pride.

The main character in Orwell's "Keep the Aspidistra Flying" is Gordon Comstock. Now my feelings towards Gordon are a bit ambivalent. In one way I can admire where he is coming from, in other ways I find him infuriating. The story is about his attempt to shun the "money god" of society as he sees it. This means he gives up a "good" job to work in a bookshop for little money, rents a cheap room and settles down to be a writer. Although he has a book of poems published the truth is that his poems are not cutting the mustard, so to speak. Throughout the story he often lapses into bemoaning his situation stating that is all because he does not have money. Now my admiration is for his principled attempt not to have money at the centre of his life and his attempt to find happiness without depending upon it. The problem is so often money is needed to ensure that happiness. He is so principled that for much of the story when he is in need he refuses the help of Rosemary, his girlfriend, and Ravelston, his well off friend who runs a magazine; although he does constantly "borrow" off his sister Julia. When he does come into some money he blows it in one nights revelling, taking these friends out and insisting on paying for everything. In his attempts to spurn the "money god" Gordon ends up living in a hovel, working in a 2d lending library on 30 bob a week. (In today's money around £105, working at around £1.90 an hour). He can live this way and to some extent his pride keeps telling him that it is what he wants, but it is a living that seems without a future, without hope.

What is infuriating is the way he treats the woman who loves him, Rosemary, and his good friend Ravelston. His pride will not let them help him and the way he often treats them makes you wonder why they stick with him at all. Rosemary even manages to get him his old " good job" back, but he still does not want it.

This got me thinking about two things, money and pride.  I wonder whether a point Orwell makes through Gordon is that we are all caught up in a world where money really does make it go round and it is very difficult to try and live as though this were not the case. The reality is that we all need money to live, and a certain amount of money to live to a certain standard. 1 Timothy 6:10 says this:

"For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." (NLT)

This is often misquoted saying money is the root of all evil. Well it does not say this. The love of money and craving for it is what is wrong and leads people away from faith in God. Why? Well because this love and craving takes over and replaces a love and craving for God. In this sense I think Gordon has got it right. Where he gets it wrong for me is with his pride.

I am beginning to find out  more about Niebuhr's view that pride is one of humanities greatest sins. Pride can be a type of attitude that sees what you are doing as being in the right and can have an element of self righteousness about it.  In some ways like money it can become the centre of who you are. Gordon believes his way is so right he refuses the help of others or even to consider their feelings. He refuses to compromise in order to make things better for himself even if it makes those who love him suffer. I wonder whether pride can get in the way of developing healthy relationships with others and with God.

So what happens to Gordon in the end? Well you will need to read to book to find out, but one thing I can tell you is that he does " Keep the Aspidistra Flying".

Now on to "Coming up for Air".

Loving God

We thank You that You provide for all our needs.

Help us to use the money we have and earn wisely;

help us not to make money our master 

but a servant in our lives.

In those times when we find pride creeping

into what we do or what we believe,

help us to see things in the light of the Holy Spirit,

so that pride does not come between 

our relationships with others and with You.

We pray for those who are in financial difficulties today;

perhaps because of what is happening with the economy

due to the coronavirus situation.

We pray that they may find the help they need,

and that we may all show a generosity towards each other, 

just as You are always generous towards us.

Amen