author function

[Granville Ganter]

In Berressem's review of _The VL Papers_ he asserts that few critics seem 
to have taken seriously Alec McHoul's injunction (in Pynchon Notes 28-29, 
as well as _Writing Pynchon_) that Pynchon criticism needs to take a 
different turn than the source study, historicist, exegetical, or 
biographical modes on which the Pynchon industry presently thrives.  
McHoul's own response is _Writing Pynchon_.  Are others on 
this list familiar with McHoul's complaint and the alternative in 
contemporary literary theory he proposes?  

Over the past month, people have been talking about who Pynchon is (the 
Tinasky letters, etc) or what he may like, and it seems to me that a 
playful interest the author function is alive and well, despite the 
recognition that who Pynchon is doesn't really matter anyway.  I feel 
vulnerable saying this but I really like reading the autobiographical 
statements in _Slow Learner_ and the "meeting with Pynchon" piece at the end 
of _The VL Papers_.  And while I am sympathetic to the problem McHoul has 
raised, I'm not sure if even he and Wills have pointed to a path where 
historicist/exegetical/biographical concerns are irrelevant.

gg.