Kermode in Reykjavik

[LOT64 at aol.com]

Paul,

What I find even more disturbing than Pynchon's fascination with cruelty is
his interest in sex with very young women.  The passages about cruelty, even
though coming close to the point of titillation, are always about the evil of
cruelty. The erotic passages about Bianca and Hedwig Vogelsang, which I found
enjoyably arousing when I was younger, now raise disturbing questions. These
passages do not pass any negative judgement about child/adult sex.  Hedwig,
at around 16, is almost a woman, but I have a difficult time enjoying a 12
year old as a sex symbol.  I am more sensitive to this now since I have known
some survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Don't get me wrong, I don't think
Pynchon is advocating child abuse.  I think the cultural bias of our society
that finds women to be most desirable when they are most childlike, to be the
culprit here.  The point I'm making is that after having had some experience
with the real effects of children having sex with adults, the fantasy aspect
of the Bianca episode is hard to take in the light-hearted manner Pynchon
portrays it. I find it very disturbing, especially in an author I hold in
such high regard.  Pynchon's skill as a writer lets him portray something
very negative in an arousing way. As I sit here writing this I'm starting to
think perhaps I'm misjudging his intention. One might look at Bianca's
suicide following sex with Slothrop as proving the opposite point I am
accusing TRP of making. Now I'm not so sure...

Ron Churgin