MAD Magician

[Terrance F. Flaherty]

Paul Mackin wrote:

> 
> That focusses in on things. I would never deny that M's point is valid as
> far as it goes. One possible thing I might add  would be that the
> "biological" in the Joyce episode is only figurative as far as prose
> development down through the ages is concerned. The language
> development is very cleverly made to be LIKE embryonic development.
> (Or possibly visa versa) In any event language development is cultural,
> not biological, whether it's in Joyce or Pynchon. Joyce may not be of a
> mind to stress the political aspects in so many words. He refused to play
> the game of political bombast. However you might say that since the
> subject here is Ireland--John Bull's first colony--the subject  is
> implicitly political. Come to think,  the subject of Irish babies is
> OVERWHELMINGLY  political (Swift). In fact in this case it may be down
> right Feminist--how many was this for Mrs. Purefoy. I forget.

Right! I just read Mendleson and I don't remember this
Political distinction, but I can have another look. In so
many words is a good way to put it, Pynchon often crowds his
politics with too many words. In any event, if we are only
talking Ulysses, the novel is political from the opening
scene. How many for poor Mrs. Purefoy? Well, I see one birth
line hanging out the bag there and headed back to the
blemishless belly of eve and well with a good many eaten to
reduced the burden on us all, now I've lost count of them
all. Yes Pynchon lays his politics deep in history and
psychology with these intimations of darkness. 

tf 

> 
> On the question of Enzian intention to go up with 00001, it is strongly
> hinted at in the extended conversation between E and Ombindi in which O
> extolls the sexual allure of suicide and E knows he's being conned but
> doesn't resist.  There's the song "Sold on Suicide." There is much
> surrounding material emphasizing Enzian's deep feelings about the rocket.
> 
>                 P.