pirate

[Paul Mackin]

> but i noticed this weekend that twice in 
> the opening section does Pynchon refer to Pirate as having an "empty 
> head"--he is, i think on my reread, really openly mocking prentice--
> why?  any suggestions?

The first mention of an empty mind is while he is pissing and would seem 
emblematic of a relaxed state, despite the chaos of the maisonnete. This 
is before is steps out on the roof and sees the vapor trail. Once he does 
he is more or less panicstricken. No time to warn the authorities and 
there's his own skin to think about. He deliberately uses the old 
commando trick of clearing the mind before going into danger. Now he can 
turn his attention to the morning banana harvest--counting only bananas 
and not the seconds to the blast. Since the V-2 is a dud, the blast is 
neither felt nor heard. 

				Pablo