Mindless

[Chris Stolz]

We might add a third definition of "mindless" here:  along
loosely Buddhist lines, where "mindless" means something like
using no conscious effort or deliberation to do things.


As for whether or not _GR_ ir  "moral" novel or not, or whether
this novel concerns itself at all with morality, I think that
this is a debate that belongs in a church or a philosophy
department, not in literary terms.  I think the function of "art"
is not to show us right or wrong, take sides etc.  I think art
ought to show us what is, or how we might think of something, or
how our way of thinking is limited.  I think that this is where
_GR_ falls down-- it is Pynchon's most preachy and sermon
(jeremiad) like work, announcing its thematic and political
intentions over and over, rather than leaving tantalising
eliptical sturctures, as the first two novels do, for the
reader's investigation.  



-- 
chris stolz		16 oakview pl. sw calgary ab canada t2v-3z9
cstolz at acs.ucalgary.ca	(403) 281-6794


"But you must admit that our ignorance is manifestly of a very rich 
and varied sort?" said Ulrich.


			Robert Musil, _The Man Without Qualities_