Short Fiction · Chapter
V: “Sagitta Volante in Dei” explained
Rudolph Miller confesses a sin to Father Schwartz, who becomes increasingly erratic and speaks of glittering parties, amusement parks, and a worldly beauty beyond God.
What happens
Rudolph Miller confesses a sin to Father Schwartz, who becomes increasingly erratic and speaks of glittering parties, amusement parks, and a worldly beauty beyond God. The priest collapses in despair, and Rudolph flees in terror, feeling confirmed in his own inner convictions about a gorgeous, secular world.
Themes in this chapter
Ambition and Disillusionment
Rudolph's inner conviction that there is 'something ineffably gorgeous somewhere' beyond God, and Father Schwartz's collapse, highlight the tension between worldly ambition and spiritual disillusionment.
Rebellion and Nonconformity
Rudolph's lie in confession to 'make things finer' and his rejection of the priest's authority represent a quiet rebellion against religious and moral norms.
Characters to notice
- Rudolph Miller
A beautiful little boy confessing his sin to Father Schwartz; he becomes frightened by the priest's strange talk and eventually runs away in panic.
- Father Schwartz
The priest hearing Rudolph's confession; he speaks disjointedly about glittering parties and amusement parks, then collapses in despair.
Key passages
“When a lot of people get together in the best places things go glimmering.”
In elite social gatherings, everything seems magical and radiant.
Father Schwartz's cryptic remark to Rudolph about the allure of high society.
“Go to one at night and stand a little way off from it in a dark place—under dark trees. You'll see a big wheel made of lights turning in the air... But don't get up close, because if you do you'll only feel the heat and the sweat and the life.”
Observe an amusement park from a distance to appreciate its glittering beauty, but avoid the gritty reality up close.
Father Schwartz's advice to Rudolph about the illusion of glamour versus the harshness of real life.