MDMD(1)--Card Table

[John Pendergast]

Much has been said about the masterful opening of the book and its
deliberate echo of GR. Also, many of us seem to isolate specific passage
and to use them as metaphoric "roadmaps" to Pynchon's narrative.As far
as I know, however, no one has mentioned the following passage which
could serve as a possible metaphor for the entire book:

"mostly Pine and Cherry about, nor much Mahogany, excepting a sinister
and wonderful Card Table which exhibits the cheaper Wave-like Grain
known in the Trade as Wand'ring Heart, causing an illusion of Depth into
which for years children have gaz'd as into the illustrated Pages of
Books. . ."

I won't bore you with list of particulars from later in the book which
suggest that this passage is an important precursor, but I did note as I
began rereading the novel that this is, in many regards, a children's
story, and the taste and preoccupations of the children are influencial
in how the Rev. tells the story. (Perhaps the reference to "Sultan," in
reference to LeSpark could also suggest 1001 Nights, since the Rev. must
keep his story interesting in order to remain "safe").

Anyone else see echos of this passage in the book?

John Pendergast
Virginia Commonwealth University