V. (Ch 3) Impersonations and Dreams

[Richard Fiero]

Paul Mackin writes:
>The view of jbor that between Lot49 and GR. P acquired sophisticated
knowledge
>in a variety of religious and philosophical subjects including
Gnosticism and
>that this is used to astounding  effect in his mature work is
certainly my own.
>(Kai agrees in his post of this morning)
>

All of this stuff was in the mainstream hip culture of the 60's. It is
not at all obscure or esoteric.
Many many researchers were revisiting the bundle of items comprising
the then current interpretations of folklore and myth reinterpreting,
unravelling and rebinding with renewed clarity.
Lawrence Durrell's 'Alexandria Quartet' ('57 to '60) seems far more
relevant in my own view.

>Seems to me that "sympathy for the Gnostics" may be a good way of
putting it.
>Sympathy for the down and out. Not that Gnostics were always
>down-and-outers--although the Australian example does help bolster the
>genraliziation.  Also, would  not a prime motivation or appeal for the
Gnostic
>position have lain in quite an utter disenchantment with the material
world. A
>view that poverty and disease and starvation most assuredly work  to
instill. The
>material world is unquestionably  unfair. If this can be seen as a
mistake in
>creation then the hope is reasonable that some correction can yet take
place.
>The truth and the light may yet somehow prevail.
>
>Does Pynchon entertain this hope? And in what sense?
>
>                    P.