***All images from Robin Woods Tarot Deck. Works Cited at end of entry***
JOURNEY OF THE FOOL:
The Magus and Nicholas' Journey to Himself
Rumors and myths surround the history of the origin of the Tarot. One of the earliest hypothesis credits ancient Egypt’s lost book of knowledge, the Book of Thoth, as the origin of the cards (Hoeller 1). Again in the 18th century, the occultist Antoine Court de Gebelin reaffirmed the Tarot’s link to the Book of Thoth (Pollack 6). According to mythical stories, wise men who met in the city of Fez after the burning of the library of Alexandria designed a picture book of universal wisdom that could be understood by the illiterate population. Others feel the Tarot developed later from playing cards as they migrated across the continents. However, even the ancestry of playing cards is murky. Michael Dummett posits that playing cards originated in China in the 9th century (34). Prior to playing cards’ arrival in Europe in the 14th century via Venice, playing cards were known in Egypt (Dummett 45). Unfortunately, there are no existing cards from the 14th century Europe, but several from the 15th century have survived (Drummett 12).
In the mid 1400s, the artist Bonifacio Bembo painted a set of unnumbered, unnamed cards for the Visconti family in Milan that may have initiated the gambling game, Tarocchi, in Italy. Eventually, the game became known as Trumps in England (Pollack 3). One theory suggests that the game of Tarocchi morphed into the art of divination via the Romany gypsies (Pollack 9) as they transported the Tarot images to France, Spain, and Italy (Hoeller 1). As the cards were modified through time and across countries, one of the key differences that emerged between the Tarot deck and playing cards is the presence of twenty-one triumphs that are not assigned a suit (Drummett 7).
Another mystery is the etymology of the word “Tarot.” It is unknown if it is modified from Italy’s Tarocchi card game or if it originated from the much older Egyptian words Tar, meaning Path, and Ro, Ros, and Rog, meaning Royal --- The Royal Path (Hoeller xviii). Regardless of the cards’ geneses, the images gracing the Tarot decks stimulate the archetypal images in humanity’s unconscious and lead men and women to life’s deeper truths (Hoeller 2).
Obviously, the cards persisted through the centuries because, as Carl Jung suggests, the images speak to people at a deep level and represent basic spiritual archetypal images
(Hoeller 6). The Tarot’s actual origins may be unimportant, as Stephan Hoeller explains,
“Wherever and whatever its beginnings may have been, in a
very real sense it is still for us the book of Thoth, a scroll of
pictures brought from the high heavens of wisdom by Hermes,
messenger of gods and teacher of men” (3).
The occult sciences aim to unify the body and soul through various practices. Our bodies, imprisoned by the duality of the persona, are prisons that hinder our quest to unite our subconscious and conscious. The art of divination asserts that “everything is connected, everything has meaning and that nothing occurs at random” (Pollack 9). The cards are used as meditation tools because of their ability to arouse the unconscious. Because of this capability, the Tarot is used as a map to lead a person to increased awareness as they travel through the twenty two stages of the Fool.
Throughout the centuries, the Tarot has incarnated into many forms: a game played in the royal court; a source of evil reviled and rebuked by pulpit puppets; a mechanism to share ancient knowledge; a meditation instrument for future guidance, and the medium of the gypsies. Even T.S. Eliot, who claimed to be largely ignorant about the Tarot, popularized the divination cards in his poem The Wasteland during the 1920s (Pollack 99). Today, the Tarot is still used for meditations and divination.
Most importantly for our purposes in this class, the Tarot is employed as a map by author John Fowles for his book, The Magus. The Major Arcana of the Tarot guides the reader and protagonist, Nicholas Urfe, through his initiation processes. The masques woven by the Magician, Conchis, lead Nicholas, The Fool, through his Journey to unite his mind and soul, to awaken him spiritually, and to aid him in eliminating the duality that causes so much pain in his life.
John Fowles states in the Foreword of the revised edition of The Magus, ,
“The foregoing will, I hope, excuse me from saying what the story
“means.” Novels, even much more lucidly conceived and controlled
ones than this, are not like crossword puzzles, with one unique set
of correct answers behind the clues – an analogy (“Dear Mr. Fowles,
Please explain the real significance of …”) I sometimes despair of
ever extirpating from the contemporary student mind. If The Magus
has any “real significance,” it is no more than that of the Rorschach test
in psychology. Its meaning is whatever reaction it provokes in the
reader, and so as far as I am concerned there is no given “right”
reaction.” (Fowles, 9-10).
Interestingly, the same attitude is maintained by most modern “readers” of the Tarot. Typically, the “reader” guides the seeker (one being read for) to interpret the symbols on the cards in reference to their own perspectives in addition to the reader’s insight. There is no “right” answer. The meditation’s meaning is what is evoked in the subconscious by the illustrations on the cards.
The Tarot cards are possessed by strong, ancient archetypes images. An archetypal template conveys a common language across time and space using universal illustrations. The Tarot’s seventy-eight cards represent the story of life, complete with its emotional peaks and valleys. Wisdom is promised to those who complete the twists and turns. After studying dreams, myths, and legends, Carl Jung popularized the theory of archetypes, explaining that they are primal patterns of thought that are imprinted on a human’s subconscious mind. These archetypes act as a framework, the foundation humans build their understanding of the world upon.
Because of their significance, the Tarot uses several images repeatedly: roses, lilies, infinity signs, water, cups, swords, wands, pentacles, and pillars.
Roses and lilies, prevalent on the Tarot cards, are also frequently used in legends. The lily represents Persephone, Demeter’s daughter in Greek mythology and continues into Arthurian legends by representing Mary Magdalene (Gardner (a) 126-127). In the Bible, the Song of Solomon’s lost bride refers to herself as the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley. The Rose of Sharon refers to the transmitter of light, a light bearer, the carrier of the Rosi crucis (Rosi = ritu, redness of truth; Crucis is the crucible bearing the Light of Truth) (Gardner (b) 245). Roses are sacred to Venus, the representation of both Ishtar and Lucifer, the bringers of Light and Enlightenment. Interestingly, the Rose and Lily symbolism was later assigned to Jesus’ mother and Mary Magdalene, as well as other princesses of the Grail bloodline (Gardner(a) 116). Mary Magdalene stems from the Hebrew migdal, meaning “tower” and is used to denote a high station of guardianship (Gardner (a), 37). Mary Magdalene is also represented by still pools of water (mari = pool of still water) (Gardner (a), 49). By using the names Lily and Rose, Fowles foreshadows the depth of his characters.
Pillars represent the duality of our inner mysteries combined with our outer awareness. The dualities merge in The World, 22, the final card of the Major Arcana, as the pillars become a circle uniting the two.
Pools of water signify the secrets of the deep, the unconscious. The smooth surface of the pool belies the turbulence below until eventually the consciousness stills its waters (Pollack 39). Any representation of water is a reference to the emotions.
Swords represent action and intellect.
Cups are connected with feelings and love.
Pentacles/Money signify the material world.
Wands symbolize vision and intuition.
The infinity is an ancient symbol that resembles a horizontal figure eight and denotes an unending, circuitous path.
When using the Infinity Spread, which follows the succession of the Fool’s Journey, the Major Arcana Tarot cards are arranged in chronological order and duplicate the infinity symbol. Alfred Douglas, author of The Tarot, considers the first loop of the journey as solar in nature, active and expansive, the Fool adjusting to the world outside of himself. The solar circuit concentrates on the outer world, teaching the initiate the difference between ‘just doing things’ versus ‘productive action’. In this layout, the solar circuit begins with the Fool and ends with the Wheel of Fortune.
The subsequent lunar circuit begins with Justice and ends with the World. As the Fool follows the looping path, his consciousness achieves balance. Along the journey that will transform the Fool into a Magus, he learns to reconcile the duality of his soul as he wanders in the desert and forests. He transfers divine beings he has only previously seen in unconscious visions and dreams into his conscious, waking life. He descends into Hell to face and survive the torture of his demons. And then the initiate ritually dies and ultimately rises again as a reborn phoenix, a transformed Creation.
The Tarot represents the journey of Nicholas as he encounters mysterious episodes that challenge him and lead him to enlightenment. As Nicholas transitions from the solar loop into the lunar loop,
“We wonder at Urfe’s ability to take punishment.
Then the novel reshapes itself as a detective story; the
battered Urfe takes a more active role….” (Wolfe, 81).
The presence of the Tarot’s archetypes are the guideposts for the Journey of the Fool. Ellen McDaniel postulates that “John Fowles is looking for a new set of mythic symbols, for a myth less shopworn, a journey less traveled. He finds that new myth in the Tarot, which successfully embodies Fowles’s own version of the twentieth-century ironic quest” (McDaniel, 249).
The Magus, a story of a human’s quest for fulfillment, uses the Tarot to depict the path that must be traveled and the destination Nicholas will ultimately reach (Morris, 82). Most obviously, The Magus contains 78 chapters, reflecting the number of cards in the Tarot. More subtlety, Fowles weaves the symbolism of the ancient archetypes throughout The Magus. The first twenty-two of the seventy-eight cards are considered the Major Arcana, the Journey of the Fool. Robert Morris suggests we follow Eden Gray’s analogy:
“…think of the Tarot as representing spokes of a huge
wheel upon which each of us travels during his life on
earth, experiencing material and spiritual ups and downs.
The Fool, representing the Life-Force before it comes into
manifestation on the earth plane, is the center of the
wheel, moves to its outer edge through 21 phases of
experience, and then returns to the
center whence it came.” (Morris, 91).
Ellen McDaniel compares literary quests to old pirate maps:
“the map defines the mode of the treasure
hunt, but the searcher never knows if the map is authentic,
if the treasure really exists, or even what the treasure is. This
is exactly the irony that Nicholas Urfe senses as he gets
more and more deeply involved with that wise
“buccaneer”, Conchis” (McDaniel, 249).
Fowles uses the Journey of the Fool in the Tarot to keep the reader apprised of Nicholas’ progress:
“Rather than preparing us for a leap, Fowles
helps us cope. The stripping away of personality
and the existential leap only come after all is lost.
Like any good philosopher, he does not let
what we might be weaken what we are” (Wolfe, 20).
Fowles’ philosophy is evident in Conchis’ treatment of Nicholas. As the Fool, Nicholas Urfe, will be guided by the Magician, Conchis, through his journey to discover his authentic self.
The reader of The Magus accompanies Nicholas during his quest for authenticity. Those reading The Magus are forced inward to ask themselves the same questions Nicholas is pondering, most notably whether to continue the godgame or to leave before the initiation rite has culminated into a transformation.
Nicholas’ quest for self awareness begins on page one of the first chapter as he admits that, “I began to discover I was not the person I wanted to be” (Fowles, 17). For any journey to begin, spiritual or otherwise, a first step is required. A decision must be made that compels us to overcome our inertia, to dismiss our apathy, and to step into our lives with purpose.
“This journey may be shamanic, Homeric, demonic,
Christocentric, or picaresquely anarchic, but inevitably,
the same patterns of experience, the same ritual
movements, continue to appear as universal road
signs for men’s personal quests” (McDaniel, 248).
When Nicholas utters the words, “I needed a new mystery,” he becomes a shamanic initiate (Morris, 85). As Nicholas steps off his proverbial cliff of safety, his routine life dissipates and a new path to an authentic life opens before him. As Nicholas becomes receptive and embraces the hidden dimensions of life, his journey to reconcile his two lives begins, strongly paralleling the Fool of the Tarot deck.
The Journey begins with the
FOOL, 0:
The Fool is the protagonist of the Tarot deck, the Alpha and Omega. The Zero of the Fool card embodies the Oroborous, the Serpent of Wisdom; the Alchemist’s Ring where heaven meets earth; and is the symbol of infinite potentiality. The Oroborous is found on the staff of the Conchis during the trial (Fowles 509). In the Fool, everything and nothing is represented (DeVere, 132). The Fool’s comrad, usually a dog, symbolizes the animal side of man. As long as man is in harmony, the animal is a docile companion. But, when the inner self is buried and ignored, the dog can become the terrifying Hound of Hell. The bag the Fool carries on his back are his experiences, packed away but not abandoned so that they no longer control him as he moves forward (Pollack 27).
The Fool, the Everyman, must navigate the hazards represented by the Major Arcana to reach enlightenment. As he stands at the edge of a cliff, the Fool is ready to move into the future. He begins as a happy wanderer with the perspectives of an innocent child, but as he progresses through the deck, the Fool becomes wiser and more insightful. The Fool’s blissful movement into the future reminds us to dance through life’s experiences with optimism and faith. He encourages us to embrace the new phases life brings (Pollack 29).
The Fool “symbolizes the pristine spiritual source and ultimate destiny of all manifest powers and beings” (Hoeller 9). Among spiritual teachers, Divine Discontent is a desired state of being. Divine Discontent is the stimulus for change, a catalyst to move forward and become more. In the first paragraph of The Magus, we are privy to Nicholas Urfe’s blossoming Divine Discontent:
“I was sent to a public school, I wasted two years doing my
national service, I went to Oxford; and there I began to
discover I was not the person I wanted to be” (Fowles, 17).
Nicholas’ contemplated suicide became the stimulus for the Fool to begin his journey.
“I hated myself. I had created nothing, I belonged
to nothingness, to the neant, and it seemed to me
that my own death was the only thing left that I
could create” (Fowles, 62).
Nicholas acknowledges that what he was seeking was a symbolic death, the death that initiation brings, the death that results in transformation.
“…I was trying to commit not a moral action,
but a fundamentally aesthetic one; to do
something that would end my life sensationally,
significantly, consistently. It was not a
Mercutio death I was looking for, not a real one.
A death to be remembered, not the true death of a
true suicide, the death obliterate” (Fowles, 64).
Nicholas senses the quest ahead and although the path is unknown, he is subconsciously cognizant of the gravity of the situation, yet, faces it with the anticipation of exultant ecstasy.
“…as I walked there came the strangest feeling, … of having
entered a myth; but an intensely mysterious present and
concrete feeling of excitement, of being in a situation where
anything still might happen. As if the world had suddenly,
during those last three days, been re-invented, and
for me alone” (Fowles, 160).
We learn that Nicholas is emotionally ready to undertake the process of constructing his own life and reconstructing his past experiences (Salami, 74). He has tired of the persona that learning institutions, the military, and life situations have created. Nicholas seeks a dramatic change and chooses to leave London and teach in Greece. He is ripe for re-creation and the Magician is ready to aid in the catharsis.
The Fool’s attitude is mirrored in Nicholas when he realizes his happiest times come during “moments when the most ordinary things seemed beautiful and lovable” (Wolfe, 33). Conchis, acting as a Magus, tantalizes Nicholas’ curiosity by taunting, “You have the one thing that matters. You have all your discoveries before you” (Fowles, 84). Conchis spends much of the masque nudging Nicholas into a state of faith, a willingness to suspend disbelief, an ability to embrace his imagination, and to overcome his fear of the mysteries (Wolfe, 91). The maze of masques constructed by Conchis aids in the transition from ignorance to enlightenment as the Fool encounters the symbols and archetypes along his journey (Morris, 85).
THE MAGICIAN, 1:
The Magician, number 1, signifies unity, beginnings, power. The Magician is known as the archetypal shaman, sorcerer, wizard, juggler, and magus who is control of life’s tools, consciously aware. Most notably, the Magician is associated with the Greek messenger god, Hermes, the mediator between the divine and human realms, the link between conscious and unconscious (Lionett 23).
The Magician manifests the potentialities life offers. He stands before his table, stationary and fixed, ready to give shape to the chaos, to give life meaning and purpose. His great strength of channeled energy ensures he is not knocked from one experience to the next. The entirety of Tarot’s symbols are evident in the Magician’s image: roses, lilies, money, pillars, infinity, duality, emotions, masculinity, with the color red prominent. The red rose symbolizes passion while the white rose signifies purity. The stag head worn by the Magician is replicated in the trial when “A man with the head of a stag that filled the arched door; who stood silhouetted, giant, unforgettable image. . .” (Fowles 507).
Like the shaman, the Magician is healer, teacher, and guide through the symbolic death of the initiate (Pollack 29). The shaman is defined by Eliade, as the most archaic form of the archetypal quest (McDaniel 248.) The Magician’s commitment to the Fool is to guide him to Divine Equilibrium. Although the Magician is full of cunning and trickery, his goal is to prepare the Initiate to become the Magi. The Magician teaches the Fool about the conscious and subconscious aspects of the mind and endeavors to unite the initiate’s being on all planes by exorcising the Fool’s duality (Morris 86).
Although the Magus may use illusions to guide his initiate through the landscape to enlightenment, the Magus’ wisdom sees through the illusions that plague most of humanity. Conchis sees Nicholas as a “contradictory, split subject who is torn between love and domination” (Salami 92). “Conchis is a most adept modern Magus for the Fool, Nicholas, and he successfully carries out the traditional Tarot duties” (McDaniel 252).
When Conchis witnesses Henrik Nygaard’s communion with his god, Conchis comes to realize that faith revitalizes life and can work miracles. Because of this, Conchis encourages Nicholas to develop faith, to remove the cataract off of his inner eye. There’s even a “fake it til you make it” attitude that Conchis tries to impart (Wolfe 108) when he tells Nicholas to “just pretend to believe.”
Conchis’ status as a Magus implies he understands the implications of granting freedom to others (Salami 81). Acting as a powerful Magician should, Conchis encourages Nicholas to use magic, faith, and mystery to gain his freedom. Once the freedom is attained, Nicholas will mature into a magician himself (Salami 82).
Just as the Fool must solve a series of riddles before enlightenment can be achieved, Nicholas must open the doors of his psyche and past decisions one by one before he can transition from the Fool to the Magician. As Conchis assembles the illusions that steep Nicholas in a world of magic, he weaves a godgame where everything is open to interpretation
(Salami, 84). A majority of the time, Nicholas (and the reader) have no idea of Conchis’ plan, purpose, or intent. Conchis sometimes inexplicable behavior exhibits cruelty, betrayal, subterfuge, treachery, and deception. Conchis’ barbaric treatment of Nicholas is confusing. And yet, Nicholas chooses to stay, chooses to endure because he believes in the gold at the end of the rainbow. Nicholas (and the reader) must trust that Conchis, in his omnipotent power, has a plan that will ultimately benefit his initiate.
The High Priestess, withdrawn from the world, is deeply intuitive and tremendously wise. She represents the awakened subconscious and finds her power in her detachment. Being quiet and still in her soul allows her to reflect on her actions and to hear her thoughts. Without the din of life to drown out her inner contemplations, she can discover why she acts as she does.
The High Priestess guides us to excavate our authentic selves. She embraces the Eastern religious philosophies: to find the balance between light and darkness (Pollack 19). In the Kabbalist imagery, the High Priestess reconciles the Pillars of Mercy and Judgment (Pollack 19).
Lily is the female counterpart to the Magus, also described as Isis, Astarte, and Kali (Morris 86). Nicholas needed an opportunity to retreat and find the quiet, as he did on his walks on Phraxos, before he could tap into the wisdom of the High Priestess. Nicholas’ contemplative periods in the book allowed deeper ideas to awaken in order to prepare himself for the quest Conchis orchestrated (Pollack 41).
THE EMPRESS, 3
The Empress is the universal symbol of fertility – her purpose is to nurture the potential of the initiate. The Empress’s duty is to impregnate the subconscious with ideas that will manifest in the material world. The Empress embodies love, gentleness, and motherhood. As opposed to the mental archetype of the High Priestess, the Empress is the emotional side of the female archetype. The passion represented by the Empress can be either sexual or maternal. The egoless child the Empress carries in her belly is a reminder from the Tarot to return to our natural state of authenticity when we experience the world around us (Pollack 47).
Lily de Seitas promises the bounty represented by the Empress if Nicholas can plumb the depths of his subconscious and find the fortitude to continue onward to Enlightenment (Morris 88). The Empress, like Lily de Seitas, is Isis unveiled, the Goddess of Love, holding the keys to Life. Lily is compared to Demeter, a goddess represented by the Empress. Nicholas finds maternal sustenance in Lily de Seitas’ motherly advice. Yet, Nicholas discovers he also feels sexually possessive of Lily de Seitas when he discovers she is departing to spend time with Conchis. As Empress, Lily de Seitas tries to open Nicholas’ inner vision, to give him clues for his initiation rites.
“Am I ever going to be told what you really think
you’re doing?” (Nicholas)
“You have been told.” (Lily de Seitas)
“Lie upon lie.”
“Perhaps that is our way of telling the truth.”
She looked down at her hands, aware of my impatience.
"Maurice once said to me — when I had just asked him a
question rather like yours — he said, An answer is always
a form of death."
There was something in her face. It was not implacable;
but in some way impermeable.
"I think questions are a form of life."
“Have you never wondered why evolution should have
bothered to split itself up into so many shapes and sizes?
Doesn’t that also seem an unnecessary performance?”
“Maurice gave me that line. I know what you’re saying in
some vague metaphysical way, but-“
“I should like to be sure. Tell me.”
“That there must be some purpose in our not all being
perfect-not all the same.”
“That it allows the duds like me the freedom to
become a little less imperfect.”
“Did you have any sense of that before this summer?”
“I didn’t need to be told I was far from perfect.”
“Had you done anything about it?”
“Not very much, no.”
“Why not?””
“Because it…” I took a breath… “I am not defending what I was.”
“And still not accepting what you might become?”
“It’s not the lesson. The manner of it.”
“I know they said some terrible things to you at
that mock trial, Nicholas. But, you were the judge.
And if the terrible things had been all that was to be
said of you , you would not have given the verdict you did.
“… in the godgame we start from the premise that
in reality all is fiction, yet no single fiction is necessary.
The basic principle of life is hazard. If one goes deep enough
in atomic physics one ends with a situation of pure chance. Of course we all share the illusion that this can’t be so.”
"What happened to you that first year?"
I will tell you that it all began one weekend, not even
that, one long night of talking... perhaps it was no more
than that we were bored. I think historically bored —
as one was in the entre-deux-guerres. Certain leaps were taken.
Certain gaps bridged. I imagine — don't you? —
all new discoveries happen like that. Very suddenly.
And then you spend years trying to work them out to their limits."
For a time we sat in silence. Then she spoke again.
"For us, Nicholas, our success is never certain. You have entered our secret. And now you are a radioactive substance. We hope to keep you stable. But we are not sure." She smiled. "Someone . . . rather in your position... once said to me that I was like a pool. He wanted to throw a stone into me. But I am not so calm in these situations as I may look."
"I think you handle them very intelligently."
"Touché." She bowed her head. Then she said, "Next week I'm going away — as I do every autumn when the children are off my hands. I shan't be hiding, but just doing what I do every September."
"You'll be with Maurice?"
"Yes."
Something curiously like an apology lingered in the air;
as if she knew the strange twinge of jealousy I felt and
could not pretend that it was not justified; that whatever
richness of relationship and shared experience I
suspected, existed. (Fowles 637-640).
THE EMPEROR, 4
The Emperor and the Empress reside in the solar loop and represent secular rule. The lush nature of the Empress’ emotions becomes barren in the Emperor’s rigid landscape. He is power incarnate as he holds the ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life and death. As enforcer of the social rules, the Emperor’s stability brings the world out of chaos, but he can also be repressive. Society must obey the rules of the Emperor, but then, ideally, individuals must progress to find their own personal codes of conduct (Pollack 51).
Nicholas’ father was in the military and “was a stickler for externals and petty quotidian things; and in lieu of an intellect he had accumulated an armoury of capitalized key words like Discipline and Tradition and Responsibility” (Fowles 17). As a result of his father’s contemptuous anger and his parents’ disdain for his life, Nicholas developed a dual personality, one he presented for his parents and another for the other facets of his life. At their deaths, Nicholas felt an “almost immediate sense of relief, of freedom” (Fowles 19). Nicholas realizes that although his father was dead, he was still controlling him and that his cynicism was an act of rebellion aimed at his dead father. At this stage, Nicholas has not found his personal code of conduct. Yet, realizations are dawning and his code of conduct develops as he persists through the ordeals of his initiation.
THE HIEROPHANT, 5
The Hierophant represents a spiritual guide that helps us unite our dual natures by aiding our efforts to bridge our spiritual nature with our worldly persona. With the leadership of The Hierophant, the initiate discovers the dialogue between the conscious part of ourselves and the core of our inner knowledge. The Emperor and Hierophant are companion cards, both acting as “father figures” with much power over their subordinates. The Hierophant must avoid the temptation of becoming corrupted by his authority. With the power Conchis wields, he must avoid the temptation to abuse his role (McDaniel 253).
Conchis, as both Magician and Hierophant, knows that the important questions in life can never be answered by anyone except oneself, and therefore advises Nicholas to abandon religion and patriotism in order to use his energies for introspection. The Hierophant plays a key role in directing Nicholas to discover his inner compass rather than relying on institutions’ rules.
THE LOVERS, 6
The Lovers card shows fertile ground, the result of the union of the solar (male) and lunar (female). . This card reminds us we have to choose our desires with wisdom and empathy and to understand that the emergence of sexuality brings with it new responsibilities. Many times the qualities of our partners mirror the parts of ourselves we repress, be they positive or negative. When we recognize these qualities, there is the opportunity to consciously integrate them to become more complete beings. Being aware of the reflected aspects of ourselves found in our partners’ personalities helps us to act more responsibly with our lovers and to understand our underlying motivations.
The importance of the Lovers card is that it reminds the Fool that through love we find unity with another person, but also with ourselves. Love allows us to experience the deeper meanings of Life (Pollack 60). Couples who surrender to sexual passion transcend isolation, even if only briefly. But those who misuse sex by rejecting the body’s desire to be united with another person can plunge into depression.
Nicholas begins his journey as a man who continues his sexual relationships with women until he feels an emotional connection and therefore, a responsibility to his partner. Afraid, he leaves as quickly as possible. Nicholas is possessed by the unknown, forbidden, unexplored, uncharted, the taboo, and the unfamiliar. The Lovers card obviously represents Nicholas’ need to transform his ideas about his relationships with females. He has misused sex and emotionally abused his partners. The resulting depression was severe enough for Nicholas to contemplate suicide, gun in hand.
Nicholas’ schizophrenic attitude towards Alison illustrates his inability to become vulnerable enough to accept love. Because Alison represents Reality in the godgame, Conchis urges Nicholas to marry Alison, have a family and for him to “learn to be what you really are.” Originally, Nicholas refuses what is freely offered to him --- Alison’s body and love--- because he feels she is an obstruction to potentially greater pleasures. Yet, after she is gone, he obsessively wants to win her back. Is this obsession or love?
Peter Wolfe posits, “That Alison is most real to him in absentia shows in his preference for the difficult and the remote” (Wolfe 88). In his struggle to accept Alison, he must overcome his arrogant British prejudice of Australians, his tendency to have sex with her instead of making love, and realize his emotional desert is not synonymous with the freedom he claims to want. Lily’s unattainability fuels Nicholas’ desire for her because she is safe and he will never have to truly engage with her. Without the masque, Lily and Nicholas have no relationship beyond the pretense created by the godgame (Wolfe 92).
Only at the end of the masque, does Nicholas decide to choose Alison, to choose a “real” life. He strives and contrives to win her back, but ultimately he is rebuffed by her. Her love once so freely given has fallen into a gulf of pain so wide that Nicholas cannot bridge it. How he responds to this situation determines whether he can continue his quest as an initiate. If he behaves with anger and a determination to seek another superficial relationship, he will be doomed to stop here.
THE CHARIOT, 7
The Chariot, 7, is the number of progression and the vehicle of self-expression. After overcoming difficulties and learning to control the conflicting feelings within, the initiate can move forward. However the situation is only controlled---not resolved (Pollack 69). The black and white colors of the horses represent the ever present dual pillars. The base instincts are represented by the black horse and the white horse symbolizes our better nature (Lionett 34). In Freudian dream symbolism, the horse is connected with sexual energy. Plato, the Greek philosopher, favored the used of the chariot and horses as a metaphor for the soul.
The Chariot signifies the overwhelming power of our unconscious desires and emphasizes the importance of directing them in a positive direction. With the charioteer’s maturity and self control, there is no need for him to even hold the reins to the horses (Pollack 66). To progress forward, the Fool must understand what is driving him, to cease repressing instincts so they do not control him unconsciously.
Nicholas exhibits a increased control of his instincts when he shows the capability of controlling his anger, even when humiliated. When given the chance to whip Lily, Nicholas is startled by his “light-bulb” moment – he is simultaneously thrust into the role of hero and fool. Holding the whip in hand he becomes the Nazi officer, Wimmel, holding the sub-machine gun.
“Then suddenly, I understood.
I was not holding a cat in my hand in an underground
cistern, I was in a sunlit square ten years before and in my
hands I held a German sub-machine gun. And it was not
Conchis now playing the role of Wimmel. Wimmel was
inside of me, in my stiffened backthrown arm, in all my
past; above all in what I had done to Alison.” (Fowles 526).
The “empty” Chariot during the trial is significant because the Chariot in the Tarot represents a triumph of the mind (Morris 87). When Nicholas was told the Chariot was empty, were they implying that his mind was empty, ready to be filled with an enlightened conscious?
When the Fool drives his own Chariot, it symbolizes that the apprenticeship is over and the next stage is to begin. The apprentice becomes a master student ready to learn deeper lessons, master his passions, and achieve stability (Morris 88).
Once Nicholas becomes the Charioteer and, in control of his sexual desires, he is able to develop platonic relationships with JoJo and Kemp. Nicholas’ monumental decision to not have a sexual relationship with JoJo was a step from apprenticeship towards a conscious driven life (Morris 88).
The Strength card symbolizes the courage to subdue the wild animals within us. The lion signifies the power of our instincts and desires. While lions are a symbol of the destructive urges within the psych, they also represent our innate dignity and nobility. The woman’s ability to tame the beast reflects her capability to calm the unconsciousness’ storms. She is no longer at the mercy of her ego’s passions, no longer afraid to face the deep waters of her soul. Instead, she embraces self-discovery. This card represents the courage to conquer our destructive qualities.
The godgame forces Nicholas to face his demons and admit to his inadequacies, but also to seek out his strengths. Conchis intensifies the internal dilemmas by building Nicholas up and then crashing his ego. Repeatedly, he does this with Lily. Is the relationship evolving? Are they partners in fooling Conchis or is she fooling him? Over and over Nicholas wants to trust her, yet over and over he is deceives. The rollercoaster is designed as a mirror to make Nicholas question his treatment of others.
Nicholas’ refusal to quit after each ordeal strengthens his burgeoning faith. Although Nicholas has avoided looking too deeply within, he comes to the point where he determined to continue the masque, aware that he will be stronger for finishing. Nicholas joins those who embody the Strength card by demonstrating the ability to face life, times of change, and problems with an attitude of optimism.
THE HERMIT, 9
The Hermit is associated with Cronus, the Greek god, and the Jungian archetype of the wise old man. The Hermit, like the Fool, stands on a ledge ready to leap. The Hermit’s
leap involves withdrawing from the world in order to activate his unconscious mind. Much as the High Priestess withdrew into a quiet place, the Hermit withdraws from the outer world to awaken the inner world and discover the truths within. Like the Magician, the Hermit is a teacher ready to guide the pupil into the internal caverns. We only have to follow the light he offers. He no longer carries the Fool’s backpack of experiences. Instead, he is traveling inward without the need of external distractions. The Hermit marks the transition of contemplation into the Wheel of Life (Pollack 79). He no longer has to depend on others, all he needs he finds in his inner resources. The Hermit has learned to surrender to what he cannot change with calm acceptance.
At this point in Nicholas’ quest, the expansion of his consciousness and introspection begins. Conchis’ role as teacher continues, but changes as Nicholas matures and becomes ready to awaken his inner world. He leaves Nicholas alone more, with increased time for reflection at this stage. Conchis may be constantly in Nicholas’s thoughts, but physically he is withdrawing more. However, he does leave the proverbial light shining so Nicholas can follow him into contemplation.
Nicholas exhibits the traits of the Hermit when he determines he will wait for Alison. He no longer controls her and as he accepts this, his journey to complete his initiation continues. He learns the ultimate lesson of the Hermit: to trust that things will change when the time is right; to not try and force things; to wait patiently and listen to your inner voice.
WHEEL OF FORTUNE, 10
The Wheel of Fortune is a card of cycles. The turning wheel reminds us that nothing lasts forever, and therefore it is a pointless exercise to hold on to moments too tightly. In a continuing pattern of accepting responsibility for one’s life, the Wheel compels us to be aware of our choices, to not blame others, and to take responsibility for our actions. We may not control the direction the Wheel turns, but we do control our responses. However, the Fool must recognize the correlation between what happens to him in the outside world and his own inner world.
Once the Wheel of Fortune, has been reached, self acceptance rolls into Nicholas’ life. The Wheel, the half-way point of the Major Arcana, turns Nicholas into the second loop. The second loop, lunar in nature, asks the Fool to examine and explore his inner consciousness (McDaniel 250).
The Wheel of Fortune is also the Wheel of Life and the Wheel of Karma. Because of Nicholas’ past decisions, the Wheel continues to turn. As the Wheel spins, the cycle continues to plunge Nicholas into depths of anger and self doubt only to raise him into exaltation as he believes Lily is being truthful with him. The Magi strives to teach Nicholas that the journey is ongoing and new predicaments will need to be absorbed and evaluated. Nicholas’ responses to the changes reflect how much he has learned, the depth of his maturity. He is halfway through his journey.
As Nicholas walks upon the Fool’s path, he begins to find his “fulcrum” and shares,
“It came to me as I listened that I didn’t want to be anywhere else
in the world at that moment, that what I was feeling at that moment
justified all I had been through, because all I had been through was my
being there. Conchis had spoken of meeting his future, of feeling his
life balanced on a fulcrum, when he first came to Bourani. I was
experiencing what he meant; a new self acceptance, a sense
that I had to be this mind and this body, its vices and its virtues,
and that I had no other chance or choice. It was an awareness
of a new kind of potentiality, one very different from my old
sense of the word, which had been based on the illusions of
ambition. The mess of my life, …they could become a source of
construction rather than a source of chaos, and precisely because
I had no other choice. No doubt our accepting what we are must
always inhibit our being what we ought to be; for all that, it
felt like a step forward and upward” (Fowles 167).
JUSTICE, 11
Justice’s double edged sword, an icon of action, reminds us that the choices we make form our futures. The sword allows the Fool to slice through his prejudices. The Fool has developed more of the ability to analyze situations rationally. The balance of past choices and future results teaches the Fool to harmonize the physical and the spiritual worlds by reconciling the past and future (Pollack 71). To truly gain wisdom, we must be willing to examine our lives honestly, to understand the repercussions of our actions, and most importantly, to take responsibility for those actions.
Through the series of events coordinated by Conchis, Nicholas is driven to look at
himself with brutal honesty. A sliver of light reaches Nicholas early in the book when he understands he is not who he wants to be, that his contemplation of suicide was symbolic only, and finally, at his mock trial when he is forced to confront the karma of his past actions. The sword of Justice cuts through the mystery when Nicholas accepts that every event has formed his character and that he will continue to create himself through future actions and most importantly that the choices he makes are his responsibility. The mask of Nicholas’ ego will continue to control him until he understands he has forged the mask himself. The Magus has led Nicholas to the fulcrum point to understand that although he cannot control the outer world, how he responds to events will contribute to the development of his personality. The honesty demanded by Justice encompasses both honesty with himself and honesty in his relationships.
Mystery initiations follow ritualistic patterns with stages representing life, death,
and rebirth. Initially, the neophyte receives instructions in the teaching of the cult, performed by the Magician. The Wheel of Fortune represents the unveiling of the mysteries of the cult. And then the initiate stands before Justice, required to respond to Justice’s queries. If the initiate refuses to answer, the initiation cannot continue. The initiate’s response proves to the teachers that the initiate understands he is part of the process and bears a responsibility in the outcome. Finally, completing the initiation links the initiate to the mysteries of the universe (Pollack 94).
The Hanged Man sees the world from a new perspective, having opened himself to the guidance of the Magus and his guidance. The image is credited to both the shamanic initiation practice of hanging upside down and the god Odin who hung from the World Tree for nine days and nights to receive the gift of prophecy (Pollack 4).
The peaceful countenance on the Hanged Man’s face exists because he has successfully chosen what is significant to him and what to release. The new perspective the Hanged Man achieves represents a critical point when he surrenders control of his ego and realizes there is something greater than his conscious mind.
Nicholas is hanged by “both his curiosity and his courage” (McDaniel 256). The Hanged Man sacrifices his previous existence to explore the path of wisdom. Nicholas has faith in Conchis’ godgame, even when he can make no sense of it and does not know what information to trust or who is telling him the truth. Even as he fumes against Conchis and Lily, he will not voluntarily quit the game. Previous frustrations transform into periods of peaceful understanding as Nicholas achieves the Hanged Man’s new perspective.
In a Tarot reading, the Hanged Man symbolizes the ability to be deeply connected to our lives and the ability to find peace even after a difficult trial. Nicholas metaphorically spends time hanging upside down as begins to embrace his burgeoning authentic self.
DEATH, 13
The Death card is actually a very positive card. Because the card signifies the death of a cycle that no longer serves us, new space for sweeping changes is created. If we are willing to release the old and adopt the new, our lives can be transformed. Stagnation plagues us when we insist on holding on for too long when we should open our grasp. Like the Hanged Man taught us, we must surrender.
The ego does not want to die, does not want to be a part of nature’s cycle. Humans fear the disappearance of the ego’s mask. Frequently, humans come to believe they are their ego, that without the ego, nothing else exists and they will disappear. The Death card represents the symbolic death of the old masks that Nicholas must relinquish. When Conchis abducts and drugs Nicholas for five days, Nicholas awakes to see a newly painted mural representative of the Death card. Death is a time of change, burning out the old debris so new growth can emerge.
During initiations, Death is realistic so the ego can experience separation of the physical and spiritual planes. As a result, the subsequent rebirth is a powerful realization of new energy. The white rose and butterfly adorning the card symbolize the purified desires that are now possible because the ego has died.
This is the type of Death referred to earlier as Nicholas was contemplating suicide. Nicholas desired a change, a clearing of old habits, thoughts, beliefs. As he relinquished his old paradigm, a new one brought him ever closer to his authentic self.
The Temperance card delivers balanced emotions and happy relationships. Harmony abounds when we connect to the real world in a meaningful way and are able to have appropriate responses to situations. Temperance teaches the Fool moderation and patience, especially in relationship negotiations.
One foot of the angel is in the water, the spiritual realm, and one foot is firmly planted on the earth, the real world. The angel straddles the world of potentiality and the world of manifestation successfully (Pollack 107). His immortal soul has been liberated by the previous card, Death. After the illusions of ego are shattered, Temperance is the part of ourselves that remains – true, authentic, and real.
When Nicholas is able to blend his separate lives, and moderate his emotions, he attains the ability to find harmony. We see Nicholas’ responses to Alison’s needs change. At times he begins to slip into old patterns but catches himself and adjusts his behavior in the spirit of Temperance. Temperance strives to teach the Fool to live in the Now, the Present moment. In this way, the initiate can “go with the flow” and live in the world without being destroyed by it.
DEVIL, 15
The Devil’s wisdom for the Fool is to integrate all facets of our nature, both light and dark. Carl Jung referred to the base part of our nature as “the shadow” or dark side. If we repress this aspect of ourselves, we fall prey to projecting those characteristics onto others. Life is more peaceful if we acknowledge the good and bad in ourselves. Accepting our human foibles instills empathy for others.
The importance of the Devil card is to realize that our bondage is self inflicted. When we hang on to materialism and believe our identity is defined by money, power, sexual obsessions and materialistic pursuits, we bind ourselves to illusions. Notice in the card that the people are not chained to the trunk of treasures, only the trunk is bound in the darkened room. All the characters have to do to reach the light is to let go. Lucifer, the Devil, is also known as the bringer of light as well as the tempter of souls. If we can bypass the temptation to be deceived by ourselves, the light will shine upon our paths.
For Nicholas, the elevation of spirit he gained by resisting JoJo, not just sexually, but also from playing a mental masturbation with her, firmly set him upon the path of redefining his relationships with women. Nicholas finally desires a loving relationship with Alison and has released the chain of sexual obsession.
To his credit he recognizes that the chain still has appeal when he tells Alison, “If Lily walked down that path and beckoned to me… I don’t know” (Fowles 664). But in being honest and facing his demons, he has released himself. Life energy locked in darkness becomes destructive. To completely release his unconscious energy, Nicholas must enter the hidden area and not become distracted by the horrors and desires found there. He must conquer them and not become a slave to them in order to act in the enlightened way of the Magus.
Conchis, at times, played the Devil’s Advocate, manipulating situations where Nicholas must face the demons that enslave him. It was vital for Conchis to show Nicholas that the chains are of his own making and that freedom is his to take.
THE TOWER, 16
The Tower is the structure that houses circumstances and situations that restrict our ability to develop into a Magi. As the unconscious struggles to be recognized and released, disturbed dreams and depression may manifest. When our external world is at odds with our inner truth, we stagnate. The destruction of the Tower signifies a change in life’s pattern, often initiated by an unexpected shock or catastrophe, either literal or psychological.
However, the catastrophic destruction may be the impetus that eliminates the materialistic constructs keeping us prisoners of the Tower. What may seem a devastating event is, in fact, freedom arriving. The explosion, whether internal or external, can be the catalyst for change. Rachel Pollack explains,
“Jung described consciousness as a dam blocking free
flow of the river of the unconscious. Temperance acts as
a kind of sluice, letting the waters through at a controlled
rate. The Tower blows away the dam completely, releasing
the locked up energy as a flood. As mystics, shamans, and ectastics
have testified, eternity is all around us, blinding and overwhelming.
The unprepared mind cannot encompass such power, and so
consciousness comes to our rescue, closing off the
major part of our spiritual energy, parceling experience
into time and opposing categories. The mystics tell us
that revelation comes as a lightning bolt which destroys
the illusions of the material world in a single blinding flash…
All occult practices begin with one assumption: that it
is possible to call down the bolt of revelation, that a
person can take definite steps to make this happen.
These steps include the teaching, the meditations, the ego death
and finally the embracing of the Devil. By releasing that energy we get
past the barriers of repression and open ourselves to the
lightening” (Pollack 119-120).
The abundance of black on the card is not a negative connotation, rather black means all things are possible, it is the combination of all colors. Black embodies the infinite energy of life without the boundaries constructed by our conscious (Pollack 28). Nicholas’ emotional fracture was complete when the he was drug through the following roller coaster of emotions:
1. Nicholas and Lily make plans to be together as “ordinary people without all the excitement” moments before she was ripped out of the cistern by kidnappers.
2. After suffering a terrifying helplessness, Nicholas then experiences a dawning realization that Lily was still playing the game.
3. June’s session of “truth” and aid in reuniting Nicholas with Julie again forces him to trust yet again.
4. Julie’s promise of “no more games” as they made love settled Nicholas into a sated feeling of satisfaction and relief.
“A few moments later I was deep inside her. It was not like any other such moment of first entry I had ever gained; something well beyond the sexual, there was such a fraught, frustrated past, such a future inherent in it; such a possession. I knew I had won far more than her body.” (Fowles 495-6).
5. As he was lying in the arms of sweet sensation’s relief, Nicholas was brutally attacked, put on a boat and drugged for five days.
6. The culmination of events was his trial.
Nicholas’ experiences a sense of timelessness as one level of unreality gives way to
another, more disturbing one (Fawkner 99). Nicholas’ tower fell in a cataclysmic rendering. Everything he thought he had built was leveled to the ground. Once the foundation was annihilated, Nicholas was forced to build a new, healthier self.
THE STAR, 17
After the violent destruction of the Tower, peace descends. The pool of water represents the emotional subconscious stirred by the addition of more water. Like Temperance, the Star has one foot in the water and one foot on the ground. She, too, is bridging both worlds bringing health and peace with her relaxed, open stance. In her nakedness, the Star is joyful in her openness with her inner calm radiating out. Out of the bowls, she pours out the water, secure in the knowledge that life will bring her what she needs. In reference to the Strength card, all of the stars are 8 pointed. The Star encourages us to hope, to keep the faith, and to believe in our heart’s desires and wishes. The card signifies hope and calm after traumatic emotional storms. Optimism is on the horizon and we can learn to trust in life’s bounty.
Life begins to come together as Nicholas begins to calm from his many storms and digest the trauma and lessons of the trial. Meeting Lily de Seitas and beginning to peek behind the curtain allows his emotions to settle as he pursues a more authentic life.
THE MOON, 18
The Moon is a strong reflecting light that guides our way, heightens our intuition, and stimulates our psychic powers when it is in its full phase. Our inner world uses the language of dreams and imagination to help us unravel life’s mysteries. The Moon compels us to dig deep to the buried parts of our nature (Lionnet 58). For the initiate, the release of unconscious energy comes after long preparation.
The Moon can cause our animal nature to howl, as the wolf awakens. The Moon stimulates the imagination and can be the harbinger of fear and strangeness if we don’t recognize the distortion the reflective light can cause. Lunacy and madness can result if the distortion of the images reflected is not recognized. The fears and monsters of our subconscious can destroy our personalities in the Moon phase if we forget the wisdom we learned along the way. We must travel in the Moon light (Pollack 127), uncover the Moon’s mysteries, and emerge into the Sunlight.
" This is because mystery has energy.
It pours energy into whoever seeks the answer to it.
If you disclose the solution to the mystery you are
simply depriving the other seekers..." he emphasized
the special meaning the word now had for me... "of
an important source of energy."
"No scientific progress?"
"Of course scientific progress. The solution of the
physical problems that face man — that is a matter
of technology. But I am talking about the general
psychological health of the species, man. He needs
the existence of mysteries. Not their solution."
(Fowles 240). (Conchis discussing his pamphlet with Nicholas)
The Sun is a Light that blazes with its own power, emitting energy and warmth. The radiant Sun allows us to see the world and ourselves clearly. Representing Apollo, the Sun embodies the power of the intellect and the ability to rationalize our experiences (Lionett 57). With the new order our lives have achieved we can now establish goals of action.
The joy of the child emanates from his radiant body. He rides his white horse without reins, trusting his journey into the future. Enlightenment and wisdom shine forth, giving us a sense of purpose as we move forward. Achieving a great sense of appreciation for the world, we are able to pursue our desires with optimism, pure energy, and creativity. Our authentic self shines forth as we find deep fulfillment at this stage in our journey.
Nicholas begins to light his own way as the wisdom begins to dawn.
“ Conchis had talked of points of fulcrum, moments
when one met one’s future. I also knew it was all bound
up with Alison, with choosing Alison, and having to go
on choosing her everyday” (Fowles, 652).
After the trial Nicholas realizations help him make peace with his ordeals:
Above all there was the extra ordinariness of the
experience; its uniqueness conferred a uniqueness
on me, and I had it like a great secret, a journey to Mars,
a prize no one else had. Then too I seemed to see my
own behavior, I had woken up seeing it, in a better light;
the trial and the disintoxication were evil fantasies sent
to test my normality, and my normality had triumphed” (Fowles 542).
JUDGMENT, 20
“As you sow, so you shall reap.” Judgment encourages us to evaluate ourselves and our behaviors in an honest way. Judgment is the phoenix of rebirth, it is the end of the karmic cycle. Out of the fire comes a life forged with meaning, the old beliefs burned from our psyche. Judgment reminds us of our relationship to the larger picture. It is time to understand and embrace our existence and importance in the universal plan. We have to accept responsibility that our lives are shaped by our decisions. The significance of the Judgment card is to realize that a Force greater than ourselves calls us to change (Pollack 137).
Nicholas is not only judged at his trial, he is given the opportunity to judge the others. Given the opportunity to strike out, Nicholas chooses not to do so.
Conchis continues to push Nicholas along the Fool’s Journey as he subjects him to more tests, more humiliations, and ever more strenuous ordeals as he intensifies the flames that will forge him into the Magis. During Nicholas’ trial, the colors and forms and symbols of the Tarot are primary elements. The colors of the Fool, black, red, white, permeate the room (Morris 87). The trial, the disintoxication period, the congregation of monsters, the gagged humiliation, the reverse judgment is:
“quite precise in its mythic resemblance to the step-by-step
process of the ancient shamanic initiation rite. According to shamanic
ritual, the neophyte “must die and lie inanimate for three to seven days”
before he is transported by “spirits” to Hell where the initiation rites
are performed. In Hell, he meets the “masters of his initiation” in
human or animal form, each of whom reveals doctrines or secrets
to him. After a period of time, however, the body is reassembled in
an altered form, and the final stage of transfiguration is accomplished.
A shaman arises from the hewn parts of his former
existence and becomes the “consecrated man” with new
powers and understanding made possible for him by
the sacrifice of ritual death” (McDaniel, 257).
When given the chance to whip Lily, Nicholas is startled by his “light-bulb” moment – he
is simultaneously thrust into the role of hero and fool. Holding the whip in hand he becomes the Nazi officer, Wimmel, holding the sub-machine gun (Fawkner 62).
“Then suddenly, I understood.
I was not holding a cat in my hand in an underground
cistern, I was in a sunlit square ten years before and in my
hands I held a German sub-machine gun. And it was not
Conchis now playing the role of Wimmel. Wimmel was
inside of me, in my stiffened backthrown arm, in all my
past; above all in what I had done to Alison.” (Fowles 526).
After surviving the initiations, Nicholas states:
“I sensed a moment of comprehension between all of us,
a strange sort of mutual respect; on their side perhaps
no more than a relief that I was as they secretly believed
me to be, behind all the mysteries and the humiliations;
on my side, a dim conviction of having entered some
deeper, wiser esoteric society than I could without danger
speak in. I could see it in Conchis’s eyes; something besides
eleutheria had been proved. And I was the only person
there who did not know what it was” (Fowles 527).
Reconciling the dual natures of our psyches allow one to reach a successful completion of a cycle, an apex in development. Through reflection and spiritual awareness, we reach freedom and standing on the top of the World, we have a new perspective, an ability to see the “bigger” picture. The circle of flowers represents completion, the inner and outer life in full bloom. The oval wreath of flowers is tied with infinity ribbons and is surrounded by the four elements, fire, water, land, and air. Out of the cosmic egg is the completion of all. The energy flows around the continuous oval.
Peace comes from understanding our place in the universe. Because we understand we are a vital part of something much larger than ourselves, we are more able to “go with the flow” with life’s ups and downs. We understand that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. Our intuition is able to free us from fear because we come to realize that everything has a time and place (Lionett 63).
When Nicholas meets Jojo and Kemp, he does not pursue a sexual relationship with them. In fact, he makes no demands of them and for one of the few times in his life, he becomes the giver. In turn, they become “family” nurturing him without sexuality.
John Fowles does not make it clear if Alison and Nicholas reunite. When Alison and Nicholas make their climb up the mountain it symbolizes a turning point. They reach the “top of the world” and many potential opportunities await. Will the truth bring freedom or more pain? Is love strong enough to create the vulnerability Nicholas needs? But, Nicholas has made it to the end of his Fool’s Journey and following the wisdom of the World, he will come to know that he is complete regardless of whether he and Alison repair their relationship.
Nicholas understands his last lesson is:
“my last lesson, and my final ordeal … the task, as in
L’Astree, of turning lions and unicorns and magi and
other mystical monsters into stone statues” (Fowles 666).
The merging of Nicholas’s life with Conchis is depicted in Nicholas’ final scene with Alison. They meet in the same park as Conchis and Lily, complete with the scent of lilac in the air (Fawlkner 50). Because Nicholas’ attitude towards Alison has completely changed, a new world awaits Nicholas. In the beginning of the novel, Alison was an object to be possessed, but after Nicholas’ initiation and guidance by the Magus, Alison is a free woman he is ready to accept (Salami 75).
Through ordeal after ordeal, Nicholas has developed his faith, becoming ever more alive, ever more able to accept life in its present form, ever more likely to turn from escapism into realism. Nicholas has prevailed, he has not been broken. The fantasy of the masque has prepared Nicholas for truth of reality.
The godgame shifts the paradigm between Nicholas and the others in his life. Physical pain, emotional torture, and psychological dilemmas have allowed Nicholas to examine his own motives and to empathize with others (Salami 92). The synthesis of lessons Nicholas learns allows him to create a new life. In the end, to become a Magus, Nicholas must free himself from the godgame and begin to write his own story (Salami 94).
The Fool’s Journey is complete when he can say:
“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time (Fowles 71).
“tomorrow he may love who has never loved, and he who has loved may love tomorrow, too” (Fowles 668).
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