It’s time to head back to Joan and see how she is doing in Le Hopital in The Space Between Section 23. She may find her place in the world.
I have always been in two minds about whether becoming a nun is right for Joan. I think that how she grew up and the mother she had certain influenced things, a little like the way Queen Elizabeth I was influenced due to her father’s actions toward his wives. That doesn’t mean that being a nun is right for her.
Breaking down The Space Between Section 23
We start off with Joan with the other postulants going through one of their lessons. They need to learn the “custody of eyes,” which is something that Joan struggles with. She is taken aback by the way the sick people smell in Le Hopital, and that causes her to look now and then.
She also struggles with the “custody of thought,” as she thinks about the voices that she has always heard in her head. Being around this many sick people is something that worries her. She would usually start to hear the voices, but they are almost silent on this occasion. That relieves her, and she’s able to focus on how to help the sick.
I am surprised that there’s no mention of anyone with a dark shadow on their face. Is that because Joan is trying to learn the “custody of eyes” so she isn’t looking, or is it like the voices, where it’s dulled down with where she is?
There is a moment when a voice comes through. It tells her to “Touch him. Comfort him,” and Joan turns to a man who is sick. When she touches him, he thanks her for the soft touch. It’s clear that many people would usually avoid him, and Joan has offered him some comfort in his time of need. This helps her realize the place that she has.
We don’t get to learn what that is in this moment, but I think that we get a good idea. She is there to help soothe people as they are ill, even if it’s just mentally.
Could this chapter be used in a TV adaptation?
We have seen Joan’s journey up to the nunnery, so we would need to see it afterward. It’s important to see how she finds her place with the other nuns, and the struggles she has now and then. We would need to hear how the voices are quiet for a while until they are needed. It’s almost like the voices really did lead her here.
On top of that, seeing more of Joan is important for the overall story. We know that Le Comte St. Germain is going to become a threat to her, so we need to get to know her and feel for her before that happens.
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