Illuminated by Joy - a Group for Catholic Teens discussion

Who is your favourite character? Who was your least favourite? Did you notice character development? Do you think Barbara Willard wrote her characters well.

I really liked Herbet. I thought he was one of the better developed characters. I also of course loved the Archbishop:-)
I liked Simon and Edmund I guess. They weren't very well developed.
I liked the Gruff (I think that's their name) family too.

I think as she was writing for children her characters aren't very well developed. But then again, you can actually write a children's book with well developed characters.

I thought that Simon and Edmund were pretty well developed. The author showed that Simon was the softer of the two, while Edmund was more choleric and hasty. How they interact shows that Simon does some thinking for Edmund.
The Gruff family is really nice.

Helena wrote: "I thought that Simon and Edmund were pretty well developed. The author showed that Simon was the softer of the two, while Edmund was more choleric and hasty. How they interact shows that Simon does..."

Mhm I guess. Just not loads of development over the course of the book.

My favourite character is Henry II. Duh.

*ignoring little brother mode on*

Maximilian wrote: "My favourite character is Henry II. Duh."

What a saint

I know, right? I mean, if it wasn't for him Thomas Becket wouldn't be a saint.

Ok, on the serious side, he might be a saint, just not as popular or with a completely different story. 😂

So the king should be given credit

Credit for making his life worse I guess XD

Well, Saint Thomas is probably quite grateful to the king right now, in Heaven, and the king is probably furious right now, in Hell

...debatable.

So you think that the king is happy in Hell? ...debatable.

I didn't mean it towards that part, I meant that Saint Thomas being grateful to him was debatable.

You never know...

St. Thomas owes his saintliness to God, not to the king.

You win, I lose. *sighs in pity for the king* Worth a shot, though...

It's ok, Max, you did well. XD It honestly made me think about it. XD

It did, did it? *sniffs* Hmph!

Sniffs? What happened to the lad who owned very sharp swords? XDD

I have to get on top of reading the book. Lizzy, do we have a deadline?

Helena wrote: "Sniffs? What happened to the lad who owned very sharp swords? XDD"

I was kidding, okay??? >:c

Helena wrote: "I have to get on top of reading the book. Lizzy, do we have a deadline?"

Lizzy is not here, currently. She will be back tomorrow evening

Maximilian wrote: "Helena wrote: "Sniffs? What happened to the lad who owned very sharp swords? XDD"

I was kidding, okay??? >:c"

Okkk XDD

Maximilian wrote: "Helena wrote: "I have to get on top of reading the book. Lizzy, do we have a deadline?"

Lizzy is not here, currently. She will be back tomorrow evening"

Alrighty, thanks!

I think it's just by the end of July, but what do crybabies like me know about anything?

That's for you to know, I suppose. XD

Hello! You people are very silly. The deadline for the book is the 31st of July.
Happy reading!!

My birthday... Wow... Lizzy, you could not have honored me more.

XD I love it when you people are funnny.

so Sorry, guys, but I've been inactive and haven't had much time to read. I really wish I could be reading this with you guys but I have to get on top of everything going on first. Maybe our next read, I might have time.
Anyway, hope you all have a great time reading! ;-)

Maximilian wrote: "My birthday... Wow... Lizzy, you could not have honored me more."

Or the last day of the month. I would never honour you.

Isabel wrote: "XD I love it when you people are funnny.

so Sorry, guys, but I've been inactive and haven't had much time to read. I really wish I could be reading this with you guys but I have to get on top of ..."

That's fine Isabel. Hope to see you on the next read.

Maximilian wrote: "My birthday... Wow... Lizzy, you could not have honored me more."

#BirthdayExposed

:-(

😂😂😂

Well, Max, turns out we were wrong. At the end the King does penance, so he might not be in hell. Also, they said at the end that he had lost the friend but given the church a saint. So, we were both right, I was right that he would be in heaven regardless of the King, and you were right saying that the King making him a martyr helped him to be canonized.

:-)

Hmm the book made him seem very bitter though... He didn't be seem to be truly penitent.

At the beginning of the last chapter, yes, but at the end he did as much as he could to humiliate himself, such as showing himself to the people after he had been whipped by the monks (as requested).

Yes... he seemed to be forced to though. Ah well, we will not know until heaven:-)

I don't think so, he seemed guilty after they told him about the murder.

Well yes. But not all guilt equals repentance. Judas felt guilt but not true repentance.

Helena wrote: "At the beginning of the last chapter, yes, but at the end he did as much as he could to humiliate himself, such as showing himself to the people after he had been whipped by the monks (as requested)."

He deserved every whipping he got.
(I realise that I'm going against my own point)

Elisabeth wrote: "Well yes. But not all guilt equals repentance. Judas felt guilt but not true repentance."

I think his guilt did equal repentance, he repented instead of despairing.

I am not sure...
It could have been the other kind of guilt too.

The author didn't seem to present it that way.

Well the author didn't live then🤣

Are we discussing based on real events that we don't know much about or this book and the authors perspective?

Well we are supposed to be discussing the author's perspective but I think we strayed into historical paths 😉
(Was that passive aggressive?🤨)