Yeah, well MY Dad sez...

[jporter]

>Greetings, all.
>
>I lurk here constantly but rarely post, mainly for fear I'd be out of my
>league.  Hell, I just _enjoy_ Pynchon; I don't study him.  Nonetheless, I
>was talking to my fellow failed English scholar father, who imparted to me
>a theory I'd never heard before, even here...I told him I'd bring it up
>with you good people and let the chips fall where they want to.  Here
>goes...he sez when he was doing time in academic institutions in the
>late-60s/early-70s, a favored theory about _V._ maintained that the title
>referred to Durrell's _Alexandria Quartet_, i.e. it was intended as sort of
>a fifth book, or reaction to the quartet, or what have you.
>
>I'll be honest:  I've never heard this from anyone else, and I don't see
>it.  Does anyone else?
>
>Yours,
>Eston
>ecm3 at psu.edu

Ah well I'd not heard that one before, very interesting. It's been awhile
since I've been under the influence of the quartet. But numerical
implications of V spin out in any number of directions when you consider
the many categories which come as four: The Four Horseman, The Four
Gospels, The Four Forces of physics (seeking unification), The Four primary
dimensions, including time. The four nucleic acids of DNA, Vico's (and
Joyce's) four historical ages- I forget how many Henry Adams proposed.

And then there is "The Devil's Fourth" (Cf., The end of Gaddis' The
Recognition's). The musical interval in the "perfect" Pythagorian-diatonic
scale, which when played on the organ in the "cathedral of western culture"
ensures that the walls will come tumblin' down, etc.

But as the fifth of a Quintet...Why not? A tip'o the hat to your father.
Let me dig up my Durrell.

jp