Little Orphan Benny

[doktor at primenet.com]

Heikki--

I can't argue with your comments about Oedipa, Slothrop, or Ishmael; I
might give you a run for your money about Stencil (assuming you mean
Herbert), but that's another post.  Also agree with you on Pynchon's
progress as a writer in dealing with family issues; he's getting warmer as
he goes.

But look again at what you actually say about Benny: "[He] may be said to
be an orphan also in the sense that he somehow has no history."

I dunno.

For a guy who has "no history," he sure has a lot of antecedents and a
fairly complete biography.  He's descended from a long line of schlemiehls.
Mother Jewish, father Catholic (or is it the other way around?  can't find
the reference right now).  Raised in New York City.  Did a stint in the
Navy aboard the Scaffold.  Did a lot of road work after that, also night
watchman duty, kitchen help and alligator hunting.  Maintains links and
friendships both with his old Navy and his new Crew chums.  Human yo-yo.

Maybe I'm still being thick-headed here.  You argue that Ishmael _isn't_ an
"orphan" in the sense you mean because he "has at least the Enlightenment
urge to encyclopedize and thus situate himself in the history of whaling,
which to
him largely means the history of progress, and what is more, American
progress, which makes some sort of a home for him until the bitter end."
Doesn't Benny similarly situate himself in a history of schlemiehls, road
workers and luckless sailors?  OK, it's not an Enlightenment type of
history, but I'd hope you wouldn't argue that the personal history we place
ourselves into must be highbrow.

At least two women (Mrs. Mendoza; Rachel Owlglass) (more?) are attracted to
Benny out of an urge to mother him.  I don't think this is true because he
has no parents, either literal or figurative.  Rather, it's the opposite,
which only supports my point: he inspires a maternal urge.  They become his
mothers, for short periods of time in the story.  Would a metaphorical
orphan be mothered so?

--Jimmy

P.S.  How about coming up to Ann Arbor June 7 for the Great Lakes Pynhead
gathering, and bringing John Krafft with you?