Immortality, personally and otherwise

[Hartwin Alfred Gebhardt]

Paul Mackin quotes Vidal

> ". . . this generation of Americans is god-hungry and craves reassurance of
> personal immortality. If Pynchon can provide it he will be as a god--rather
> his intention, I would guess."

If Gore Vidal thinks TRP gives reassurances of personal immortality, 
then he has woefully misread him. Unless _I_ have woefully misread 
TRP. But what do others make of the many voices from the 'other side' 
present in GR, and the Thanatoids in Vineland? I have always 
considered them metaphors, at most pesonifications of rather Freudian 
suppressions, rather than some superficial claim of _personal_ 
immortality....
 
> Pretty gory eh? But, who knows, it might generate discussion. How about
> it, is Pynchon a god? 

Yes, in the sense that he creates organic, animate worlds powered by 
a cyclical dynamic, given life by the external (sun-like) energy beamed 
into them by their readers (us) - yes also in the sense of doom (a la 
twilight of the gods) which in his world pervades both individuals in 
particular and personal identity in general. No in the sense of a dead 
Judeo/Christian deity of mechanical, formulaic, life-denying resurrections.

>               And, worse still, might he _enjoy_ the latria
> paid him?

Maybe - he's human, eh? But "latria" is too strong a term, 
methinks....

hg
hag at iafrica.com