Is M&D as good as GR???

Sojourner sojourner at vt.edu
Fri Sep 12 13:18:51 CDT 1997


At 01:32 PM 9/12/97 -0400, David L. Pelovitz, Ph.D, the distinguished
and happily unprepossed kind and beneficient doctor wrote:

>My view of the early criticism of GR is that a lot of people recognized
>it was important, bu thtey really didn't know what to make of it 
>entirely.  Comparing it to earlier works and tracking down obscure
>references seemed a good way to start.

Curious where you draw this observation from, this generalization.
I find it akin to seeing a Dali painting, and then not feeling you can
enjoy it until you research his background, and then quantify the
symbols and meanings of his paintings.

Seems like a 5 year old child's approach is more appealing to me.

>  At this point, certain
>themes are associated with Pynchon

aka now that I've built my bridge on air, let's place some
soldiers on it.

> (it seems like any book with
>the word "paranoia" in it will be called "Pynchonesque" by some
>critic) - 

A critical critic sure, because anyone who senses danger which
is inside of a society is "paranoid".  

If a German in 1932 said "Hitler is gonna ruin us!" people would
say he was dangerous, deluded and paranoid.  OBVIOUSLY Hitler
is making our society better!

By definition, if you are inside a society, and see a danger in it,
whether you are "right" or "wrong", you are always paranoid.
In COL49, the paranoia comes especially from the mail deal, and
yet if you think about it, the USPS is a highly irregular institution.

They advertise on TV, they have a union (no other gov agency does),
they get gov't benefits, but they also compete.  When they lose
money they just charge more for their services (opposite of a free
market business) but when they make money we don't get diddly
(see recent UPS Strike).  They are also bound by 18th century rules,
for example, if you put enough stamps on an apple, they have to
mail it.  If you put enough stamps on a jeep, they have to mail it,
or even a brick.  

And to think, there actually used to be mail services which comPETED?!
That organizations like the Pony Express actually got wiped out
by the US gov??  Weeeeeird... Eeery as hell too.  TRP isnt paranoid,
he just says "heh look over there".  If he was on a touring circuit
trying to gain recruits (this comment is for the loon who suggested
comparing to Hell? Run! Hubbard) then it'd be something else
altogether.

A novel written for nothing but money doesn't deserve such
a biting comment my good doctor.

>so its easy to fall into the pattern of measuring new
>works by how well those themes resonate. 

First thing you've said I can agree on.  Your foundation tho
is shaky like my right hand after two days of detox.

A more accurate way to say this would be that people came
upon TRP, were shocked by its beauty, stimulated by
its presence, and awed by its genius.  Then hopefully they
studied the works more, saw its roots and structure, and
loved it for the work of art that it is.  Then a new novel
comes along, and we aren't looking for the shock.  We say
we are, but our minds are closed, and want the same, always
the same.  

Compare any religious convert to a life-long member.  But
beware, the religious metaphor is a dangerous one, because
there is no "faith".  TRP's words are all there are, and aside
from a few bucks, he asks nothing in return.

They are only entertainment -- so when baby gets a new
brand of milk, he cry like a debbil.

> For me M&D (like Vineland)
>includes many of Pynchon's standard themes, but his presentation
>and applications of those themes is radically different.  

ever tried soy milk?  Runs like Hayes but tastes like s---.

>An obvious example would be that V., Lot 49, and GR all depend
>on binary opposition to examine the rightness or wrongness of
>dividing the world.  

Seemplestic good dokkah, but we'll allow it.

Yer Honah, Peepul's axhibbit nummer one.

	--So Allowed.

>In M&D, the idea of division is examine
>through the line - which is to say his attention has moved from
>the polar extremes to the middle.
>

Sneeg.

I wonder...  if Mason and Dixon weren't surveyors who drew
a line, would that be your analysis?

Dig into a little more and let me know what ya think.. I mean
show me where you think that comes from.  As opposed, of
course, to lines which support your hypothesis.

IOW show me the fertilizer and not the plant itself.

>I would recommend M&D for different reasons (and probably to different 
>people) than I recommend GR. But I don't think that recognizing
>difference requires us to rank.
>	

And what would your recommendation be?  Who would you
recommend M&D to and for what reason?

Prescribe me a book!  *grin*

>David Pelovitz, Ph.D. - pelovitd at gusun.georgetown.edu

Georgetown eh?

And what department would that be again?






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