Rilke, etc. #1, OR, A Strong Leftist Reading of the Maestro

[David Casseres]

At 20:42 -0800 1/25/99, Derek Barker wrote:
>If you don't want to read a long e-mail on Pynchon, click this to your
>trash icon right now.  Otherwise...
>
>My problem with Pynchon-as-Rilke or Frenesi-as-art-versus-machine-conflict
>readings is not so much their invalidity but rather that they leave me begging
>the question: what's the point?  I've only been checking the listserv for a
>couple
>weeks now, but my early feeling is one of disappointment with the relative
>lack
>of attention to what I see as Pynchon's fundamentally *political* project.

This is a discussion that's been going on for years; the focus moves about,
and has often been on Pynchon's political project.  Perhaps you will shift
it in that direction once again.

>I want to a) clarify that I don't see Pynchon's criticisms of 60's leftism
>as a
>neo-conservative position but rather a political project of truly realizing
>the untapped potential of a tradition of American radicalism, and b) give
>you all a fair shot at tearing apart my reading, as i've been taking the
>admittedly snide low-blow approach of late.
>
>BTW, if there is a safe haven for snooty commentary anywhere in this
>world, I should think it should be on the Pynchon listserv, but I digress.

There is no safe haven for snooty commentary anywhere in the world, if you
want to know what I think.  We have snooty commentary here on the list
(btw, the "listserv" is a piece of software), but it always draws reproof
sooner or later.  Civility and respect are called for in response to any
serious offer of ideas, here just as anywhere else.  I do believe Pynchon
would agree.

>So here's the first chapter of my undergrad thesis, "Political Withdrawals:
>Pynchon & Political Theory," for anyone interested....

Certainly no waste of bandwidth.  Looks like this will be an interesting
thesis.  I personally think Pynchon's project is primarily artistic, in the
largest sense, but the political vison/theme that you announce is certainly
a very important part of his work.
Cheers,
David