Jesuits/Jews and LOVE

[Terrance F. Flaherty]

 Pynchon's interest in Jesuits and Jews, seems to come from
many sources. I think his interest in Jesuits and Jews comes
in part from his favorite POETS (I quoted the the Brother's
K. to demonstrate one example). And what simply amazes me is
his consistent "theft" from these literary texts. From M&MV
to M&D, we find Pynchon stealing from Joyce and Eliot, Dante
and Aquinas.   Why? Why do we find page one of Ulysses on
page one of Pynchon's M&MV? Why are Eliot's "fragments"
shored against the ruins of America (nice reversal there,
right?) by a broken remembrancer in M&D? 

Since we find Eliot, Joyce, Dante, Aquinas from  M&MV to M&D
it worth considering how extensive this debt is and how it
has matured, changed, and remained constant throughout
Pynchon's career. Would make an interesting book. If I were
to write such a book I would begin with Eliot and Joyce and
work back to Joyce's master, Dante and to Dante's master,
Aquinas. Ascending and descending the winding stairs of
these Poets I would concentrate on LOVE. See Ellmann's
Preface to the corrected text-Ulysses. Of course I am too
busy collaborating on "Mushroom epistemologies: Pynchon, 
Grass & the objective alchemical perspective". Tis
mind-blowing I promise. 

Pynchon looks to Eliot early in M&MV. We find Eliot in all
of Pynchon--all over GR and Vl, and we find him in his most
mature work, M&D:

"These fragments I have shored against my ruins
Why then Ile fit you. Hieronymo's mad againe." WL.430

"I beach'd upon these Republican Shores,---an untrustworthy
Remebrancer for whom the few events yet rattling within a
Broken memory..." M&D.8

see also Thomas E. comments on brokeness in the archives. 

Pynchon looks to Joyce early, in M&MV

"called him Stephen and taunted him mercilessly about the
still small Jesuit voice..

---Introibo ad altare Dei."
       Halted, he peered down the dark WINDING STAIRS and
called out coarsely:
---Come up Kinch! Come up, you fearful JESUIT!  ---Joyce,
U.1.6-8


Terrance

A Dialogue of Self and Soul

My Soul
 I summon to the WINDING STAIRS ancient stair;
Set all your mind blowing upon the steep ascent,
Upon the BROKEN, crumbling battlement,
Upon the breathless starlit air,
"Upon the star that marks the hidden pole;
Fix all epistemologies upon
That quarter where all thought is done:
Who can distinguish alchemical perspective from the soul