In a message dated 98-01-18 16:36:54 EST, scottie writes: << I can't offhand recall any of his protagonists seriously worried about finding work, or having enough money or being unattractive or having to face a wasting illness. Their troubles are the troubles of the greatly favoured. >> i don't understand why that is an issue that would be a problem in his work...that doesn't matter in relation to the overall 'right-ness' of the book--i mean, F&Z is hardly a book of that nature. if JDS were to have thrown in a random set of troubled circumstances it would have taken away--no, annihilated--the entire 'point' [although indeed, i am loathe to say 'point']. 'the troubles of the greatly favoured'? with all due respect, scottie: so what? the complete lack of any extraneous influences on the characters is what makes them so pure. they are allowed to develop as individuals facing what is, for lack of a better term, a spiritual crisis. i must say that in all of the times i have read F&Z, that thought had never crossed my mind. i suppose it is valid, but why does it matter? besides, who wants to read about The Struggle Of Man Against The Odds all the time? i guess i don't understand your point. bethany