A tiny question.

[Paul Mackin]

On Fri, 29 Dec 1995, jonathan shainin wondered if the Von Braun quote
at the start of GR might be fictional.

I kind of thought it might be made up, and said so here once, I think.

My reasoning was partly on the grounds of symmetry. You _could_ say 
that each of the four epigraphs in the book reflects "reality" in its
own unique way.

Cooper's statement to Fay Wray is _historical_ in the truest sense possible.
(I think)

Nixon's statement is real and historical only in the _trivial_ sense--
it's equally real and historical for _all_ English speakers. (Does sound like
Nixon, though.)

What Dorothy said about Kansas is an accurate quote, but of a movie
or fictional character.

Ergo, Werner's statement _has_ to be made up. It only _sounds_ like 
something a guy not too confortable with his past life might say on a public 
occasion. In a way, it sounds too good to be true. Gore Vidal once said 
something to the effect it was a sop to god-hungry youth. (Acutally, he
was making a further point not very complimentary to Pynchon, but . . )
  
If there'd been a _fifth_ section, it would have had to have a made up
quote from a fictional person, according to my crazy line of reasoning.

Other people think Werner's words are historical, uttered at the time of some
important launching, during his U.S. phase.

Steve Weisenburger mentioned he'd had trouble finding a textual
source for the quote.


                                          P.