Vineland

[Deng, Stephen]

I see the scene as more a contrast between the melodramatic view of the 
past (i.e. the way we write, read, or view history) and the prosaic 
"reality" of the present.  Throughout there is a striking contrast between 
the Frenesi radical/fascist of the 60s and the suburban mom of the 80s. 
 But is Frenesi necessarily a different, matured person?  What we know of 
the Frenesi of the past is through film, stories, and the narrator, all 
selective and subjective views of our Holy Grail.  As Prairie puts the 
pieces together, we wait in anticipation for the imminent encounter, which 
ends up being a mundane family reunion.

The scene demystifies present view of the 60s by showing in this quotidian 
light the 60s Promethea slinging potato salad like Mrs. Brady.



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From:  seandkle at sybase.com[SMTP:seandkle at sybase.com]
Sent:  Tuesday, April 29, 1997 12:16 PM
To:  pynchon-l at waste.org
Subject:  Vineland

I'm new to this list, so please forgive me if this question has come up in 
the past...

I just finished Vineland (in eager anticipation of M&D) and had a question 
about the end... (A spoiler comes across the sky...)










Much of the book involves Prairie's search for Frenesi.  A significant 
portion of the middle of the book is Prairie viewing old 24fps footage, 
which fills us in on Frenesi's past.  A huge thematic element of the book 
is television.  It's everywhere.  Yet, when Prairie finally meets her 
mother, Pynchon treats it very matter of factly -- they meet, they speak 
for a few hours, Prairie goes to the woods to sleep.  I expected something 
more.  Something more cinematic, or tube-ematic if you will - background 
music (by Billy Barf, 'natch) reaches a creschendo, cinematic elements, 
 something more akin to a 30 minute or 60 minute tv show ending.

So, anyone have any ideas as to why TP handled the meeting this way and not 
a bit more dramatically?  Most of the book builds up to this meeting, 
creating (at least in this reader's mind) great anticipation for it.