Little Orphan Benny

[Heikki Raudaskoski]

Jimmy writes:
> [deleted]
> 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

This requires a longish reply (and I need to take a look at _V._ before
answering - haven't read it for ages), for which I don't have time just
now. But soon.

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

I will take it under consideration. (I'm speaking on my own behalf now.
I don't know about John's plans yet.) However, the trip from Southern Ohio
would be even longer than Joe's 250 miles from Cleveland, wouldn't it -
and I'm sure he was no Comedios Varo when he refused to come for that
reason. (semicolon  dash  closing parenthesis)


Heikki