Prejudices

[Paul Mackin]

I am definitely not a fan of the school of thought that says Pynch was 
somehow retrograde in his attitudes toward various members of differing
races, religions, sexes, and sexual orientations as a result of the inexorable prejudices of his time.  (natural misconceptions of extreme youth excepted)

For one thing, HIS time is not that much different from OUR time.
Wouldn't the petty changes in fashion as to what is politically correct NOW
as compared to THEN  be a neglible factor in the development of a talent of 
Pynchon caliber?

And the point that twentieth century English is incapable of escaping its own inherent prejudices, while not totally wrong, is really not very relevant in the
present context.

Why then the racial, sexual, etc. slurs and afronteries that seem to mar the books for some? Well, this is just a wild guess but I think they may, to some degree, have been placed there by way of a deliberate strategy. A kind of defense he has set up to guard against being interpreted in certain ways
he foresaw as inevitiable and desperately wanted to avoid. Because, I see him,
modest fellow that he is, wishing assiduouly NOT to be seen as inflicting
himself on his readers as a model of correct thinking or as a bible for
the dispossessed.

Can almost hear that internal conversation: Hmm, things are winding down
and getting a little apocalytic. Better throw in a little gay bashing to keep
things on a level keel. That'll throw them off.

All of which is only part of the story. But not to  be discounted completely.

				P.