MDMD(Part1) Who is Rebekah Mason?
Steven Maas (CUTR)
maas at cutr.eng.usf.edu
Mon Sep 29 12:39:28 CDT 1997
So what's the story with Rebekah? Despite lots of discussion about her in
the course of the MDMD she's still pretty much of a mystery, to me at
least. Below are several curious passages and unanswered questions about
her, presented in the hope that someone will have a brainstorm.
Steve Maas
164.15 "He understands early that she must come, that something is
important enough to risk frightening him too much, driving him further
from the world than he has already gone."
What is it that's so important? That "Tellurick Secrets" stuff on
page 172? There must be more.
167.2 "The narrative lengths Mason will go to, to avoid betraying her"
171.25-172.24 "Country Wife open and fair, City Wife a Creature of Smoke,
Soot, Intrigue, Purposes unutter'd..." and etc.
Though there was a lot of discussion of parts of this page and a half,
including speculation that she'd been a prostitute, I think it's still an
open question.
179.22 "His fondest Wish? that Rebekah live, and that,--but he will not
betray her, not for this."
And that what? Betray her for what?
186.25-187.3 "Here is the one you must marry" ... "they might have been
Buzz-men [...] having some difficulties with the English Tongue, which,
given my own, I may not judge."
Who are these Pair of Gentlemen? What are Buzz-men? Is Rebekah not a
native English speaker?
207.23-208.4 "How could he allow that she might have her own story"? and
etc.
This already when Mason was just getting to know her! Or is this just
Pynchon responding to criticism of his handling of female characters?
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