The Japanese subplot in _Vineland_

[Murthy Yenamandra]

Hello folks,

Since it's been a little quiet over here on pynchon-l for the past few
days, I thought I'd ask you all a question and make your day.

Okay now, I've always considered the Frenesi/Zoyd/Prairie story in
_Vineland_ to be the primary preoccupation of the novel. What exactly
is the Japanese subplot doing in it? Somehow, it seems like the two
subplots have a patched up quality - they don't adhere together very
well. What do you all think of it? Is there a hidden oneness in it all?
Is it a (failed?) attempt to hook up the 60s with some kind of an
eastern spirituality (I don't see much of real eastern spirituality in
the book - just a pop conception)? Is it just a way to incorporate all
the cool Japanese stuff he likes in a story that could use some comic
relief? Am I asking for too much in looking for some kind of an
outmoded narrative coherence in this supposedly postmodern book
(although I've never really thought too much of our man P. as a "real"
postmodernist, but that's another thread)?

Murthy

-- 
Murthy Yenamandra, Dept of CompSci, U of Minnesota. Email: yenamand at cs.umn.edu