Mr. Blue is anything but

Mr. Blue by Myles Connolly
Loyola Press, 2005 (Copyright 1928)

This interesting little work of fiction is the kind of story we don’t seem to see much of anymore. There’s a lesson to be learned here, or as it used to be called, the moral of the story. Of course, there’s a reason it’s called the moral of the story – the lesson is about doing the right thing, about living out some moral truth. For example, if we were talking about an old episode of Leave It To Beaver, the moral of the story might be something like ‘Don’t cheat to get ahead.’ Our books and television are hesitant to share such moral absolutes anymore, even something as straight-forward as don’t cheat.

Of course, the lesson from Mr. Blue is a lot deeper than that and thus, one would think, a little less readily accessible. However, it’s really not that hard to grasp, especially for those who know their scripture. It’s probably best summed up in Mt. 16:25… “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Mr. Blue is simply a look at a man working to lose his life. That's not an easy thing for most people to understand; so it is with the people in Blue's life, including the unnamed narrator of the book, who finds himself alternately torn between admiration and disbelief for the way Blue chooses to live. It's the same struggle all of us encounter. Most of us, no matter how devout, still cling to some semblance of supposedly rational lives. Few of us lose our lives completely; thus, the "narrow gate" to which Christ refers (Mt. 7:13) and the difficulty of becoming a saint. As such, it might be said this book is as much about the narrator as it is the title character, if not more so. And ultimately, it’s about us.

The story is carried along through an interesting mix of a handful of the narrator's encounters with Blue and several of Blue’s letters. The narration is filled with a sense of mystery and quandary as those about him keep looking for something that explains Blue's behavior. It works well and fuels the same sense within the reader that they're missing something that could shed light on this seemingly strange man and perhaps answer the question of what he's really up to.

However, what you see is what you get with Mr. Blue, both the character and the book. There is no ulterior motive, no insincerity, and no attempt at trickery or slight of hand. Maybe that explains why Blue really isn't blue at all -- he's true to himself. In the same way, Connolly keeps Mr. Blue true to its vision, noted in the introduction, of sharing the adventure and splendor of one life lived in the moment and based on the gospel example of Jesus. While we may not understand such unwavering commitment, we're always attracted to it. Hence, the enduring and deserved appeal of Mr. Blue.