Vineland

[jporter]

"Maybe I expected more from the end of Vineland because Vineland is TP's
most conventional novel in the terms of structure, plot, etc.  Basically,
Brock Vond shows up and disrupts Prairie's life.  She runs off, meets DL,
and searches for her mother.  The entire middle of the book, the early 70's
bit, is really Prairie watching 24fps films.  The story "ascends" to the
point where everyone converges at the family reunion, which is the climax
of the novel, pretty much ending with Brocks descent into hell (my
interpretation) guided by the Thanatoid tow truck operators.  So how come
in a more conventional novel we get such an anti-climactic climax.  (Am I
watching too many John Woo movies?)  TP is capable of more drama and I
sense there should have been more drama.  (See the opening of GR for
example)  So why not here?"

Sean,

If GR was essentially a film on paper (remember those sprocket holes on the
pages of the first edition), than Vineland is the equivalent for TV. Prarie
already knew her mom before she met her, much like "kids today" know sex,
murder, adultery, angels, timewarps, UFO's, cults, genocide, famine,
pestilence, etc., etc., etc. Remember what's his name- Prarie's 1/2
brother- teaching his mom and dad current events he'd picked up on
MacNiel/Lehrer? TV for Prarie's generation was/is taken for granted, part
of a non-stop background check on life. The actual meeting was as
anti-climactic as all of reality. If GR called us "old fans who've always
been at the movies" Vineland harkened back to his 6/66 Sunday Times
Magazine article: "Journey Into the Mind of Watts," and it's final
paragraph, which could serve to situate the whereabouts of a generation's
consciousness:

        In one corner was this old, busted, hollow TV set with rabbit ears
        antenna on top; inside, where it's picture tube should have been,
        gazing out with scorched wiring threaded like electronic ivy among
        its crevices and sockets, was a human skull. The name of the piece
        was "The Late, Late, Late Show.

Except by Prarie's time maybe a rose had sprouted through a socket.

jody