Missing parts

[Terrance F. Flaherty]

Paul Mackin wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 22 Aug 1999, JULIUS RAPER wrote:
> 
> > Terrance,
> >       The last part means that it appears to be the narcissistic desire
> > for immortality that causes TRP's characters to try to replace frail human
> > parts with ivory or metal or stone--or to identify with seemingly
> > omnipotent weapons, abstract theories, and non-human robots.  Probably a
> > theme he picked up from Henry Adams, who calls it a primary drive, one
> > underlying sex and religion.
> >       Pynchon appears more interested in preserving the human element,
> > thereby leaving immortality to the artists who chance upon it, not by will
> > or programme but by gift and circumstance.
> 
> All quite in keeping with the practical consideration that none of
> the various attempted fixes on human problems, especially that of
> mortality, ever seems to succeed. Mankind is simply inherently screwed.
> 
> Adams had it right though about the basic instinct not to give up
> on immortality despite all discouraging evidence to the contrary. (I
> assume he said something to this effect somewhere--if he didn't, he should
> have)
> 
> I know there are folks who prefer see pynchonian reachings for beyond zero
> and death as more than  mere instances of human hubris and failure.
> 
> To each his or her own.
> 
>          P.

Now that's St. Augustine!