Power Trippin' Time

[Paul Mackin]

>From Don L.:

 it's quite unclear that the Counterforce manages
to do much at all.  

>>>>>Reminds me of the suggestion once made that the ultimate meaning of Roger's surname name was the liklihood of a successful attack by Mexico on the U.S. of  A. 

			P. 

----------
From: 	LARSSON at VAX1.Mankato.MSUS.EDU[SMTP:LARSSON at VAX1.Mankato.MSUS.EDU]
Sent: 	Sunday, April 13, 1997 5:47 AM
To: 	pynchon-l at waste.org
Subject: 	Power Trippin' Time


Greg wonders:
" can anybody give me an example of a character who ascends to           
power through "revolutionary" means & is or is not corrupted?"


I think the best example is Weed Atman in VINELAND.  He becomes "leader"
of the PR3 more or less by default, but his all-too-human flaws are starting
to undo him even before his assassination.

In GR it's trickier since  it's quite unclear that the Counterforce manages
to do much at all.  But you can certainly find equivocal characters--Von Goll
being the best example, perhaps of a guy who always looks out for Number 1.

Finally, there are the Preterite who long to be part of the Establishment and
can never gain access to the highest inner circles, existing as Their agents
as long as it suits Them--Pointsman and Brock Vond coming to mind here.

Don Larsson, Mankato State U (MN)