GRGR (6) Mexico's Vis[itat]ion

[Michael Perez]

David wrote:
"It all starts with a long hair (Jessica's?) in his mouth as he
awakens,
apart from her.  It is a message told in its taste.  Then, escalation
to Pure Paranoia, as he slips into identification with Slothrop, and he
KNOWS (he is Slothrop) he's surrounded by FREAKS!!! out to get him! 
Response?  'I want OUTTA here! ANYWHERE but here!!!'"

Not only that, but even curiouser was his observation that "His right
canine ached."[124.10]  What's with that?  Larry Talbot never
remembered his forays into the night either, did he?  "Even a man who
is pure of heart and says his prayers by night, can become a wolf when
the wolfbane blooms and the moon is full and bright."  Even Fred
Roper's Company of Wonder Midgets (or some other midgets) show up again
in this freaky episode.  Roger considers going to Germany as a
"'re-education' expert" to "teach the German Beast about the Magna
Carta, sportsmanship, that sort of thing"[125.23-4] and imagines a
"neurotic Bavarian cuckoo clock of a village, were-elves streaking in
out of the forests to leave subversive handbills at door and
window."[125.24-5]  Were-elves?  If they're too short to reach your
neck, what do they bite?

The narrative sections focused (or as Weisenburger insists on saying
"focalized"[_...Companion_,p.76]) through Roger are all obsessive and
frantic, those focused through Jessica are contemplative and sensual. 
There's a drastic change in tone when it switches and we're treated to
a narrative ping-pong match until we get to the church.  Here the
narrative goes observational again, all war related mundanities and
advent celebrations in spite of the war.  It puts a new twist on their
relationship that neither understands quite at this point.  There are
more ways than one to forget the war than sex for these two anyway.

Another problem I have with Weisenburger's comments on this episode is
his insistance that Jessica's precoital orgasms are instances of
hysteron proteron.  How sad for him.  Granted, the wrist grab orgasm
was noteworthy, but to say there was NO stimulus before the orgasmic
response sells foreplay short by a long shot regarding the other two
mentioned shortly thereafter [120.29-30].


Michael

_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com