GRGR(12)Mystery of Imipolex G

[Terrance F. Flaherty]

Paul Mackin wrote:
> 
> On Mon, 18 Oct 1999 Cjhurtt6 at aol.com wrote:
> 
> > In a message dated 10/18/99 4:55:44 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> > Lycidas at worldnet.att.net writes:
> >
> > << and although I doubt Pynchon's infallibility, I
> >  think it best to give the author the benefit of the doubt
> >  and search for an alternative explanation for these apparent
> >  problems >>
> > the anachronisms and other "mistakes" in gr could be just that..mistakes
> > and/or pynchon's subtle way of saying "hey, don't take my word as gospel. i
> > can't even keep track of my own timeline here."
> 
> This line of thinking may have prompted the passage on p. 252 where
> Slothrop is thumming through the (London) Times and eventually  reads
> about Tantivy. "It will occur to him later that maybe the whole story was
> a lie. They could've planted it easy enough in that London Times,
> couldn't they?"
> 
> This is extemely omminous not to say omniscient (or should it be
> prescient) in light of the fact the so much extratextual (GR Companion)
> exigensis of  events is based on the unassailably  sturdy foundation of
> the Times.
> 
>                         P.

Even if this particular example (perhaps perfect despite
"may have prompted," since we are not omniscient nor
prescient), did not prompt, it is quite useful. Slothrop can
not rely on the unassailably sturdy foundation of the Times.
Why not? Well, first, he doesn't trust the builders, or
possible builders of the Time's foundation. Is he paranoid,
should he be? Is Pynchon? Should he be? Does Pynchon not
trust the Times as Slothrop does not trust the Times?
Slothrop acts on the information in the Times, be it
trustworthy or not, right? Does Pynchon? 

TF