Pynchon and Gaddis

[RICHARD ROMEO]

I'm about 3/4 of the way through The Recognitions and I've noticed one of 
the major differences in Gaddis writing as compared to Pynchon's is that 
Gaddis doesn't have a "Them"-much of his scorn is for simple human 
stupidity and vanity-maybe that's why there is less of a poetical element 
in The Recognitions as compared to GR.

On the Recognitons:  I haven't read much of the crit on it but I think 
Otto/Wyatt embodies Gaddis himself more than any other of the 
characters-the way Otto conducts himself vis-a-vis Wyatt, The artist in 
the book-possibly Gaddis view of what he could've been: a  mad, genius, 
his other spiritual half perhaps (though he has said he is them all in 
one  way or the other);  any other parallels? e.g. Stanley the Church nut 
reminds me of Prince Myshkin or Misha in the Brothers K.

rich
nyc