GRGR(8)--parallel worlds--many faces of Roger

[Andrew Dinn]

Henry M writes:

> Good to have you back on the list.

Eventually I had to post something.

> As to Jeremy's sensitivity, it is a false one. I shoulda used quotes. 
> He's "supportive" of Jessica and "understands" her "little" fling. A 
> good egg, a "nice, warm"  sorta guy. Except that he is one of 
> Their's, we might even "like" him if we didn't see him through 
> Roger's green (are they really green?) eyes.

Oh, sorry, I see what you mean, now. Yes, except that Sensitive new
Age Guys these days wear their hearts on their sleeves and publicly
patronise their other halves. Whereas in Beaver's world one would have
a pointedly quiet word with his errant but forgiven girl, thereby
reassuring everyone that he is masterfully in control without the
danger of a public tantrum showing him up.

  ...

> Your " and this is too much for most people, Roger and Jess
> included, to contemplate" is close to what I think, but my reading
> suggests that Roger does accept that intensity as something that can
> be normal, after the intensity of the war perhaps.  I don't see
> Roger as a paranoid character. Sure he's upset and doesn't keep his
> cool. He is the one Pynchon character I can think of who is
> intensely in love a-and wants to stay that way.

Yes, I fluffed this point with a redundant `both' when comparing
Rog/Jess to Blicero/Katje/Gottfried. Roger is different from the other
characters in that he wants this intensity and openness to experience
and he knows it and believes he can attain it. Slothrop maybe wants
the same but without really knowing it, because i) his (yank) life is
not so hidebound by conventionality (lowers the contrast) and ii) he
is more naive, less introspective. The other redeemable but unredeemed
characters, Katje, Blicero, Pirate lose faith, too readily and quickly
accept that they are preterite. Got Freed, maybe is one exception as
he never loses faith - and if anyone is he's the little pig that gets
away. Osbie maybe is another as he has no illusions to lose - and he's
the one who first notices that magic feather.


Andrew Dinn
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And though Earthliness forget you,
To the stilled Earth say:  I flow.
To the rushing water speak:  I am.