[gridirion]

Thanks.  I’m still confused trying to discern the lessons of the two stories, and your thoughts on them, to apply to my life in terms of whether to offer a type of “What ails thee?” question to a friend.  We’ve been told that Parcival errs by not asking it, though you suggest that he still would have been able to heal the Grail King with his compassionate (?) nature.  You also suggest that Lasso blunders by blurting the question out regardless of consequences (whatever they turned out to be), and that he shouldn’t have asked the question, instead of leading by example and allowing Rebecca to heal herself.  Thus, in both cases, it sounds like you suggest it’s better to not directly ask the question and instead only demonstrate compassion.  Am I reading you correctly?  If so, why does your take differ from the traditional one in which we’re told Parcival failed by not asking the question?

[gridirion]

Gabrielle,

I enjoyed your article very much.  Please clarify for me your following line: “Throughout the first season of the show, Ted never stops asking Rebecca, “What ails thee?” He doesn’t make the same mistake Parcival does—in fact, he makes the opposite mistake. His nature leads him to ask, repeatedly, the exact wrong question.”

Though I haven’t seen the show to understand if context is relevant to your statement, why do you say that it is the “exact wrong question” when Parcival’s mistake was not to ask it at all?

Thank you.

 

 

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