GRGR(4) Re: One, only one

[Paul Mackin]

On Tue, 22 Jun 1999, s~Z wrote:

> "Terrance F. Flaherty" wrote:
> 
> "You had thought of solipsism, and imagined the structure to
> be populated--on your level--by only, terribly, one."
> > >
> > > I'd appreciate any comments etc..
> 
> Slothrop is a house divided against himself. Even if he is the one, only
> one, there are many hes. Fragmentation incarnate. The continuous stutter
> of the word unable to be made into flesh. Such fragmented psyches live
> in terror of isolation and abandonment--even as they push away all
> attempts to make genuine human contact.


Interesting and no doubt in accord with clinical experience. But
can't we also give a couple of cheers for the divided as against
the integrated self. Sassoon was a case in point. Though he hated and
denouced the war, at the front he was happy and anxious to get out on
patrols and mix it up with the enemy. It was when he tried to integrate
the two views with such notions that he was only there to protect his men
that his mental  faculties would tend to come apart. (I'm basing this on
Barker's fictional account alluded to in an earlier post this morning but 
believe it's fairly well in accordance with the facts)

How can anyone possibly dream of interpreting the Pincher except as a
divided self? Attempts at resistence (read integration)  are futile.

				P.