coupla passages

Robert Bruno brunnr01 at mclb91.med.nyu.edu
Fri Feb 23 15:43:08 CST 1996


I'm just throwing out a coupla passages from GR.  The first one kinda 
flies in the face of my original thoughts that Slothrop is just a 
passive victim of the plot, and the second (related) one brings in an 
element of women hating (I think there was a recent posting re: 
degredation of women, etc.)  Delete if you feel this is just a bunch of 
hooey...

But Edwin Treacle, that most Freudian of psychical researchers, thinks 
Slothrop's gift is psychokinesis.  Slothrop is, with the force of his 
mind, *causing* the rockets to drop where they do.  He may not be 
physically highballing them about the sky: but maybe he is fooling with 
the electrical signals inside the rocket's guidance system.  p.85 (pb)


	Last night, in the house at the edge of the stay-away town, Jessica, 
snuggling, afloat, just before sleep was to take them, whispered, 
"Roger...what about the girls?"  That was all she said.  But it brought 
Roger wide awake.  And bone-tired as he was, he lay staring for another 
hour, wondering about the girls.
	Now, knowing he ought to let it go, "Pointsman, what if Edwin 
Treacle is right?  That it's PK.  What if Slothrop's--not even 
consciously--*making* them fall where they do?"
	"Well.  You lot'd have something then, wouldn't you."
	"But...*why* should he.  If they are falling wherever he's been--"
	"Perhaps he hates women."
	"I'm serious."
	"Mexico.  Are you actually worried?"
	"I don't know.  Perhaps I wondered what if it might tie in, in 
any way, with your ultraparadoxical phase.  Perhaps...I want to know what 
you're really looking for." p. 87 (pb)



Rob



More information about the Pynchon-l mailing list