Prejudices

[Greg Montalbano]

At 05:51 PM 11/26/96 +0000, you wrote:
>Paul Mackin writes:
>
>> 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)
>
>[snip]
>
>Thank goodness there is someone out there without their head stuck up
>their arse. There have been several statements that Pynchon's writing
>must, will he nill he, embody various prejudices - which `must' I
>objected to. And lo and behold I am accused by several people of
>arguing that Pynchon cannot possibly be subject to any prejudice. To
>the contrary. But that `must' is just present-day PC paranoia. If it's
>there it can be seen and shown in the book. If it cannot be shown or
>seen then for all intents and purposes it is not there. The `must' is
>metaphysics and bad metaphysics at that.
>
>And I agree with Paul that not only was the Pynchon of 1960-73 more
>likely than most to be aware of such prejudices and more likely than
>most to be able to avoid building them into his literature, what is
>more he is savvy enough to use stereotypes and the prejudices on which
>they depend to manipulate his readers. Chiclitz is one good example.
>Poekler (and his relation with his `daughter') is another. His
>concentration on fetishes and fetishistic responses (e.g. Pudding and
>Katje) ought to be a major clue that this is something he is employing
>consciously. As should the lack of character to his characters.
>
>
>Andrew Dinn
>-----------
>And though Earthliness forget you,
>To the stilled Earth say:  I flow.
>To the rushing water speak:  I am.
>

Wait a minute, Andrew:  are you saying that Pynchon is a WRITER?  That he is
NOT his characters??  That he just MIGHT be using diverse personality types
and phobias and fetishes to present an incredibly complex situation, a
sequencing of actions and emotions that not only tell a story but also
convey images, ideas and associations that cannot be baldly stated otherwise???
My god, people;  have we discovered the modern novel????
Well, hell -- that changes everything. 
~~Greg