DFW on NPR

[Eric Alan Weinstein]

 _Infinite Jest_ does explore its characters 
>to a depth I don't think you can find in any of Pynchon's work.  Next 
>to the characters of _IJ_ I think many of Pynchon's own characters do 
>come off looking a little sketchy. 

With perhaps one or two exceptions, I would have 
(*almost*) agreed with you...before Mason and Dixon.


What we have in M and D are probably the deepest drawn 
characters from any Pynchon work. The most patient attention paid
to cumulative details of relationship. 
The most concentrated love.
Mason and Dixon are flesh and blood, giants but 
fit to human scale.
They build a space in our imagination which we could not
vacate them from if  'twere wished.

Perhaps only a dozen like them in all the anglophone
lit of the 20th C. 

Of course, others might suggest, I would say that,
wouldn't I...
Eric Alan Weinstein
Centre For English Studies
University Of London
E.A.Weinstein at qmw.ac.uk