author function

[Paul Mackin]

On Sun, 4 Feb 1996, Granville Ganter wrote:

> 	  Are others on 
> this list familiar with McHoul's complaint and the alternative in 
> contemporary literary theory he proposes?  
 

I am utmostly sympathetic to McHoul's complaint and am glad the
alternative he proposed was tried. What I understood of it, I
found very witty. Unfortunately, I haven't read much of the French stuff
and none in the original, which some have said is essential to get the
real thrust. 

Way to go, Alec.

However, if you just want to enjoy the novels, you need every
bit of help you can get from any source that will give it.

Paradoxically, because of all the talk about how little we know about P., 
I know him better than I do most writers. By now I feel his boyish 
presence in every sentence.  Especially, I see him in his sailor suit. 
And, being an ex-swabbie myself, I have heard most of those sea stories 
before.

I think the GR Companion is an immense service. Especially indespensible 
for people less familiar with the style of chitchat about during WW II. 
In my opinion the information pertaining to what was going on in London and 
Europe at the time doesn't derive from  some retrograde delusion that 
GR is attempting to represent "history". At a certain point the kind
of knowledge imparted is nothing more than competence in understanding the 
language as it is or was spoken. The verisimilitudes in the writing
constantly being stressed were never the point. In fact, I get a tiny bit 
irked when Weisenburger says something like "Pynchon follows actual 
events on this point." We all know what "actual events" are. However, I
forgive him, because I know he is merely taking a well-advised shortcut. 
It would be cumbersome to say each time that such and such happening was 
lifted straight out of the Times of London, and Pynchon didn't even bother
to change the date.

Way to go Steve.

As for just plain non-professional readers like myself, I like the 
combination of stuff that comes onto the P-list. There's a nice 
balance between author and book. Plenty of personal reaction. Not
much litcrit. I wouldn't mind more of the latter, but feel others might.
	
		P.