GRGR Re: Drugs in Pynchon's fiction

[Doug Millison]

At 12:50 PM +1100 10/23/99, rj wrote:
>Yes, yes, *Bopp* is a "former" Nazi, however, "CAMP Nazis" is what you
>wrote. There is no textual evidence in *VL* to say that the "infamous
>federal-state" (49) CAMP organisation, or that "private vigilante squad
>of student antidrug activists, retired military pilots, government
>advisers in civvies, off-duty deputies and troopers" (221) who are
>contracted to do the fieldwork, are Nazis.

 I see your point, technically there is no textual evidence to support my
tarring the sterling CAMP name with the Nazi label. But, they're led by a
Nazi, that's for sure. If TRP didn't want to give a Nazi/neo-Nazi flavor to
CAMP I imagine he would have created a different character to lead this
band.

Somebody who knows his politics better than I do might answer whether or
not we can consider Rilke a fascist or Nazi.

>[snip]I don't think moderation, or
>even awareness of the dangers of excess, are ever a part of the 60s
>doper mentality as Pynchon represents it.

Well, talking about putting LSD in a baby's formula, even if it is the joke
that I think TRP intends, seems to be an acknowledgement on TRP's part that
there might be some boundaries that shouldn't be crossed. Of course that's
TRP writing and looking back on the 60s, so maybe you're right on this one,
too.

>Neither Zoyd nor Slothrop are
>fully "good"; and their drug excesses are one point where this
>equivocality of characterisation is manifest (imo).

Zoyd is a likeable character, demonstrating many good qualities despite his
many faults and shortcomings. When all is said and done,  he is a good
father to Prairie, a loyal friend to Frenesi, a person who keeps the 60s
counter-culture values alive in the face of violent repression.

Re drugs in Pynchon's fiction, it's worth remembering that in Vineland the
most dangerous drug is the Tube.

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