Political Pynchon

[johns at nbn.com]

Don Larsson writes:
> There is little in the early short stories, or even V. that
>is overtly political--P seems much more concerned with metaphysical matters 
in
>those works, even when they do relate in some way to an image of lost chances
>or dispossession (as in "Lowlands").

It's been a while since I've reread the early stuff but doesn't "Under the 
Rose" have a deeply political twist to it? While the characters seem to be out 
of 
sync with the "situation", and they appear to oblivious to the reality or 
danger of 
their mission, they ultimately do get caught up in it. Porpentine getting 
killed and 
Goodfellow ending up in Sarajevo "loitering among the crowds assembled to 
greet the 
Archduke Francis Ferdinand".

As for V., I see Profane, Stencil, and a number of other characters portraying 
the political victim's prespective because of incidents which were thrust on 
them. 
(Especially the pointlessness of resisting the military, which is echoed in 
the 
pointlessness of resisting the work ethic in everyday life, both highly 
political issues in my 
view.)

Paola is a great example of this, her uncertainty, her need to reclaim 
something lost due to political shifts in Malta's timeline. Profane's Navy 
stint, Bodine and 
his navy buddies, Mondaugen, Wiessman, at Von Trotha's, all these characters 
either 
share the effects of political events or are actually caught up in the events 
as they happened. 

Mondaugen, finally bailing from Von Trotha's "villa" and taking his chances in 
the veldt, leaving the issue of politics, it's inherent decadence, and getting 
back to 
the reality of everyday living and dying? Here are just a few of things I 
recall from V and 
earlier works and we didn't even start on Stencil's father's career.

Regards,
John Sergneri
johns at nbn.com