The Force of Character: And the Lasting Life

In an epoch when appearing younger has become a sort of social hysteria this book of James Hillman sets old age in a completely different perspective, recovering and exalting the ancient sense of completion which many a human culture of the past assigned to the last span of life. Character, which Hillman sees as a distinctive unrepeatable pattern of qualities, distilled by time into a unique imaginal constellation, increases in clarity and definition as age advances. From this original standpoint, aging is like a precious refining process, not like something to be fought as a menace of physical and psychical decline. In other words, Hillman sees old age as the part of life when the unique image we contain passes, thru a final development phase, to a stage of perfect, as it were, artistic manifestation, an epiphany of our innermost truth. We become the beings we were since the start of our lives and we project our self into the souls of other human beings in the form of character. In this way, we succeed in remaining, but first we have tried to last as much as we could according to an instinct of self-preservation deeply etched into our biological roots. However, after trying to extend our life to the extreme something inside ourselves silently leads us to a substantial change of attitude and so we become more inclined to abandon the egotistic grasp over the outside world to make room for a new philosophical acceptance of our external decline and transform our bleeding wounds into new spiritual energies. All kinds of defects, limitations and difficulties typical of old age are reinterpreted by Hillman, against current mainstream opinion, in the light of their meaning as expressions of an archetypal scenario. Behavioural tics like frequent repetitions of personal anecdotes, increasing physical shortcomings like seriously weakened short-term memory and cardiac deficiencies, temperamental fits like easy irritability and even untamed eroticism are all seen as necessities paving a sort of hidden path that has to be thoroughly walked to fulfil a secret purpose of self-authentication. As is typical of Hillman's Psyche-centered Weltanschauung the overall picture which forms into your mind after reading this, as well as many of his previous works, is one of intense aesthetic spell and suggestiveness. But what is precisely suggested and evoked remains in the realm of undisclosed significance and you are like a child who is brought back in front of a timeless threshold without being given any hint to what may be lying beyond. Hillman, in this respect, quite honestly admits to have intentionally avoided to place Death at the core of his discourse, for Death devours everything referred to Her. If we want to get life out of life, Hillman seems to suggest, we should avoid granting Death the centerstage. Yes, this sounds quite comforting and charmingly vitalistic, but can that "final touch" bringing our character and our image the ultimate seal of

James Hillman writes with consummate skill and keen intellect. His subject is a moving target, not easily focused, but he proceeds undaunted. He has the couarge to look beyond the obvious and go where others fear to go. If he is hard for some to accept the reason may be found on p.136- "To see character we must look for it with an idea of character". Some may just simply have a paucity of ideas.The marvelous "High School" chapter reminded me of my six years of Jr/Sr high school. Daily I entered the school building through a door over which was etched in stone "Knowledge is Power". Yes, good advice for young students. But now we know (p. 168) that Character is power- refined, controlled, salubrious, everlasting. Que la force (de caract`ere) soit avec toi, Docteur!

I found the Hillman book to be both provocative and deeply optimistic. Here are ways to view the aging process as something other than a final step toward the grave. Here are wonderful paradigm shifts that nudge the reader to see eternity right here, on this side of the grave. Each chapter shows that all one has to do is open one's eyes to the potential of all the stages of life and keep an eye open to see what each has to offer. This is made most evident in the later and last stages of life. Hillman urges one to see heaven seeping in to life as we age and each chapter gently encouraged to enjoy those gifts now and not set it to something that will materialize only after death. Hillman's style of writing is close tho that of Joseph Campbell in its breath of imagination and arch of line. There are parts that can only be described as poetry in prose. I have recommended this book to many of my friends who are, as I, situated between aging parents and raising children here at home.

Those who would label this just another book on aging would likely label the Iliad just another book about some guy lost at sea. "The Force Of Character" is the continuation of literary journey that germinated in "We've Had A Hundred Years Of Pyschotherapy and the World's Getting Worse" and continued to ripen in "The Soul's Code." Hillman in not casual reading, nor is his work inpenetrable. This book waxes nearly poetic at times, something quite unexpected from the bard who oft times mercilessly broadsides our culture's staid notions about salvation through psychoptherapy. While Hillman most always cajoles the soul of the reader to open and partake of his wisdom, this book takes on a quality of reminiscence, of the author and the man - and the character of the man - coming to terms with his own advancing years. Those who seek a book on how to age successfully by accumulation of superficial necessity would do well to read Depak Chopra or another popular icon of spiritual ascent. Hillman will not take us gently into that good night.

I thought about aging in a whole other way after reading this book---and as someone in their fifties, the subject has been much on my mind. James Hillman treats the wonders of old age and aging as reverentially as we always have that of teens and those in their twenties. I hope to maintain my sense of discovery for a long time and this book helped me realize I can and will.