Pynchon's Women

[Civ Toby Levy]

I'm not sure I entirely buy Bonnie's reading of V. but she certainly
presents an exciting interpretation of the narrative.  And it 
set me to thinking, has Pynchon ever written a really BAD woman
into his work?  The women who do bad things are presented as
victims, aren't they?

I still believe that the great secret that Pynchon is always
uncovering is that western civilization is a monster out of
control bent on destroying the planet.  If you want men to
shoulder all the blame for western civ, ok, but at this point
it would take more than just turning over the reigns of command
to women to straighten out the mess we are in.

I first read V as a freshman in college back in 1965.  On a 
weekend visit to NYC a year later, I bought TCoL49.  I asked
the clerk in the bookstore if he could tell me anything about the 
author, and he advised me to call up the publisher.  I did this
from a phonebooth outside the bookstore and they gave me the
address of Candida Donadio, Pynchon's agent.  The office was in
walking distance so I hotfooted it over there and very politely
asked for Pynchon's mailing adress so I could send him a fan
letter.  The outburst of abuse from Ms Donadio was the first time
I learned of Pynchon's famous reclusiveness.  Seriously, she
treated a shy teenager like a pushy reporter from a tabloid TV
show.  I don't think I've gotten over it yet!

Toby Levy