GRGR(3): Jessica and Roger, Mind-to-mind

[David Morris]

Michael Perez wrote:
>>Beaver, both of her relationships are built upon opportunism.
>>With all the chaos of wartime London, these three have two of
>>many uneasy, but convenient, coalitions.  The togetherness of
>>either linking will not last past the war, when everyone goes
>>back to their mundane post-war lives.  Oh, perhaps, during the
>>reconstruction and relief of victory (which at this point is
>>far from assured) the bonds may continue for a while, but
>>Jessica will not fall for a statistician or whatever Beaver
>>is other than a battery mate (she isn't too attached to him
>>now).  Love is sometimes something that passes the time.

Doug Millison:
>If so, can it be love? What I've seen of Roger and Jessica in GR
>so far is infatuation, an intense sexual affair made all the more
>dramatic by its wartime setting. Sort of like Pirate and Scorpia.
>Nothing like Zoyd's love for Prairie (or for Frenesi, either), or
>the love Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon share.

Paul Mackin:
>Sounds like Love is devalued simply because is may not be lasting
>or is doomed. Even the most sincere and considerate of loves may
>be short lived. People change their minds. The World changes.
>Jessica's two timing doesn't invalidate anything. Remember there
>is a War on. Any one of the three may die and there will be no
>second chances.[snip]

Since we're only at GRGR(3) I have to refrain from bringing in alot very
poignant text on this subject from pages 120-130, which will be in GRGR(6).
That said, I think Paul's closer to the relationship presented here, which
can be best understood by paying attention to what each supplies to the
dynamic.  Each fulfills a very different emotional need (its not just
sexual) of the other.

(58.8)"they believe in survival after death, communication mind-to mind,
prophesying, clairvoyance, teleportation - they _believe_, Jess! and -and-"
[...] _how does she know_ [...] know so exactly what Roger meant to say?

Do YOU know what Roger meant to say?  It could be also titled "Roger's
Lament."  This is it:

"_and_ I want to, NEED to also, but I can't..."

When Roger's with Jessica, he comes closest to believing that life has
value, hope.  She provides him with the emotional nourishment he craves.
What's in it for her?  She is Roger's salvation and that is her life, her
identity, to be a source of hope.  A while ago Terrance suggested, "At this
point in the novel, we might want to think about why Roger wants him
[Slothrop] and why Jessica is jealous."  Well, I still haven't seen her
jealousy, but if Slothrop provides another source of hope for Roger, she'll
have some competition, won't she?

As for the "opportunism" here, this is akin to the phrase, "There are no
atheists in the foxhole."  The need, here, is to experience "life" before
it's gone, to open up for the salvation love offers, out of the fear of
never having lived before one dies.