A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller. A Review

Walter M. Miller takes a close look at one of our times most discussed and debated moral issues, that of euthanasia. Miller opposes euthanasia. However, he does not ignore the arguments for it. Indeed, it is easy to sympathise with the young women and her baby who in great pain are dying of radiation poisoning. “Radiation sickness. Flash burns. The women has a broken hip. The father’s dead. The fillings in the women’s teeth are radioactive. The child almost glows in the dark…Nausea, anemia, rotten follicles. Blind in one eye. The child cries constantly because of the burns.” It would be so easy to say ‘go to the clinic, let the pain come to an end’, and Miller acknowledges this.

This is however far from Miller’s last word on the matter. He does not hold back in writing a wonderfully convincing attack on euthanasia. Miller uses the character of the abbot as a great mouthpiece on the issue. The abbot ‘Fr. Zerchi’ is almost a St. Peter type of character,

Miller talks about the almost inevitability of nuclear war and a cycle of destruction then rebirth, followed by destruction again, and so on: “Are we doomed to do it again and again? Have we no choice but to play the Phoenix in an unending sequence of rise and fall.” Despite all the suffering Miller retains this sense of hope. This hope comes from the inherent goodness of humanity as well as the all-powerful God. Many of the quiet but heroic monks depart from earth to join a new colony in a safer part of the universe. Miller reminds us that where people are in need the church will be there. The church will go on. She will endure all suffering and persecution to carry out her mission of redemption.

Miller uses symbols in the story. In one sense the story itself is very sacramental. Most of the sacraments are recorded somewhere in the book at least once. As Zerich departs this life the Eucharist is presented as ‘food for the journey’ and confession provides a great source of healing for several penitents. Similarly, the statue of St. Leibowitz, that was so painstakingly carved by one of the monks goes on to be a silent witness to everything that unfolds in the office of the abbot over the several centuries that the story covers. If that statue could talk it would speak of all the trials and tribulations, sufferings and joys of the abbots of God right from Arkoas through to Zerich. The statue itself embodying the abbeys history from ‘A’ to ‘Z.’

he is honest and bold. He has great integrity but can be rash. In a heated con

Some topics in this essay:
Indeed Miller, Walter Miller, St Leibowitz, Br Francis’, Cors Zerchi, Arkoas Zerich, Heaven Pain, God Child, St Peter, Satan’ It’s, st leibowitz, nuclear war, euthanasia miller, god pleased, faith hope, history abbey, indeed miller, endure suffering, walter miller,