MDMD(2) paranoia

[dennis grace]

In a few of the more articulate reviews I saw on M&D, the reviewers made
comments like, "refreshingly free of previous concerns with paranoid plots"
usw.  I, of course, was devasted.  I mean, a Pynchon novel without paranoid
delusions would be like an electronic ignition:  pointless.

Of course, the reviewers got it wrong, but now Chris summarizes chapter sieben:

>     Chapter 7:  The Seahorse arrives in Cape Town.  Mason and Dixon make 
>     the acquaintance of the congenial but slightly strange Vrooms, 
>     Cornelius, Johanna and their three daughters, Jet, Greet and Els.  The 
>     Hair-Brush Dilemma, as performed by these exceptionally ripe young 
>     ladies upon the hapless Mason, reveals itself to be a serious game of 
>     sexual provocation.  Mason confers with Dixon with regard to the 
>     designs of Johanna Vroom upon his services as stud for the female 
>     slave Austra.  They strategize, discussing Potions and Dreams.  On 
>     Austra's advice, they are sent to see Toko, a Malay Pygmy, of a tribe 
>     adept at Dreaming.  The Chapter end with a return to the framing 
>     story, as Ethelmer is roundly scolded by Mr. LeSpark for his somewhat 
>     controversial remarks regarding Christ's role in the design of 
>     History.

Oh, sure, she discusses the plot to impregnate Austra (a name I consider
heavy-handed, even for TRP) with Masonic sperm, but hey, what happened to
the big penultimate tete-a-tete where M&D discuss the possibility of an RA
plot?  I've read that part over thrice, and I'm still not sure where it leads.

And what about all the ketjap, Chris?  What did you do with all the ketjap?

dgg
_____________________________
Dennis Grace
University of Texas at Austin
English Department
Recovering Medievalist
amazing at mail.utexas.edu

Things are more like they are today than they have ever been before.
                                                  --Dwight D. Eisenhower

(Don't Republicans say just the cutest things?)