Kermode in Reykjavik

[Paul Mackin]

On Fri, 22 Dec 1995 LOT64 at aol.com wrote:

 
> 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...
 

 
Yes, you have to wonder about the sex with juveniles. For me, it sort of 
goes hand in hand with the cruelty aspect. Cruelty in the
African veld arises from the defenselessness of the victims. And the
inability to refuse or talk back is often at least one driving 
force in the desire and need for a very young sex object.

Not that Slothrop is ever cruel. Nor is there much very sinister in
Dennis Flange and TRP's interest in jailbait in the 
passage from _Slow Learner_ quoted by davemarc. So, my linking
of cruelty and child sex in Pynchon may be in some respects forced.
I'm not sure.

That the material in question is thematically justified (mentioned
by Chris) and even possibly cautionary (Ron's point about Bianca's death) 
are important. But they don't get at my preoccupation with what some
of Pynchon's writing is really like. I'll have to work on this.

						P.