Conflicted Pynchon

[RICHARD ROMEO]

Paul Mackin wrote:

The search through the Zone for _explanations_ seems intended to reflect

an act of hubris, a violation of the natural order--that is only set 
right 

again with the recovery of the harmonica and the transfiguration under 
the 

bridge.



Yet who would not have wanted this (another) wrong fork in the road 
taken?

-------------

Don't know if this fits into the scheme of the discussion but  this idea 
of conflict brings to mind a passage I just read in Fuentes' _Terra 
Nostra_ which has a pilgrim in the New World confronting the natives of 
the Americas and how the presence of this white man upsets their sense of 
unity, he representing something other outside their systems of belief.  
Therefore, they can only look upon this god of dawn (he who came in the 
light) or god of darkness (he who came in the darkness) as either a 
representation of nature or a god.  

This pilgrim discovers he has a double, an evil twin representing death 
and dissolution;  he peace and life.

My point is that this pilgrim is given the "gift" by the Lady of the 
Butterflies (who is both the embodiment of beauty and indefatigable 
terror- kinda V-like, her sensuous head whirling with butterflies, 
between her thighs the red serpent) of being treated like a king by these 
natives for a year at the end of which he will be sacrificed to the gods 
thus alleviating him of anxiety or worry as he is guaranteed a years 
worth of pleasure. He rebels wanting to take that road to uncertainty up 
the side of a volcano and into it's mouth, in effect to prolong his life 
though it be through the pit of something hellish.

The pilgrim doesn't have a harmonica but he does carry around a pair of 
cheap scissors and a small hand-held mirror.

Apologies if this is a wee-bit off the track





Richard Romeo

Reference Librarian

The Foundation Center

212-807-3644

rromeo at fdncenter.org



"Consequences, Schmonsequences,

as long as I'm Rich"

-Daffy Duck