The Spire - post III

Tormented by his failure to understand the damage caused by his determination to build the spire Jocelin is facing the clerical version of being struck off. He fails to understand just how much he has lost the support of the local community, the builders and his own colleagues.

Even when he is faced with a few home truths he fails to understand his capacity for causing insult and damage and if he wasn't dying you suspect he would have had a much harder time of it.

In the end it almost become irrelevant if the spire stands or falls because it has destroyed several lives. Jocelin's back problems are a metaphor for the destruction of the body of his church as well as himself. He gives everything to make his vision come to life but completely misunderstands the danger of becoming enclosed 'in a tent' of his own vision.

Although the symbolism, with swirling devils and angels, blossom and kingfishers, becomes slightly too much it does add to the pace and the conclusion. Even at the very end he remains totally misunderstood.

A review will come soon...