The Quest and the Grail

[Terrance]

That's what Pynchon writes about, right? The quest and the
grail! Stencil, Oedipa, Slothrop, all questers. In GR, the
quests are defiled versions of the sacral or mythical
journey. For example, Pointsman is a Pointman is a pavlovian
knight.  What makes you say he doesn't accept the idea of an
exalted state? There is nothing I can think of that confirms
this. Why would this be the case?  His questers may be
secularized knights and their quests profane mockeries of
their religious ancestors, but that doesn't mean Pynchon
does not accept an exalted state or goal. GR is a critique
of the West, so it follows that christianity is a target.
But what is it about christianity (and we would need to talk
about the various religions--Puritan, Catholic, gnostics,
etc.) that is criticized? It's certainly not the belief in
god or an exalted state. Other religions in GR are praised
for exactly these reasons. I disagree with Paul. It does
matter. Irony doesn't explain it away. Is GR anti-Puritan?
That's news to me. There is a specific critique of the
Puritans--the WORD. GR is quite sympathetic to the Puritans.
What about Judaism? Jewish mysticism in GR is essential to
the text. Jewish mysticism, like gnosticism, is associated
with evil in GR--like murdering children. But GR  unites the
ancient Jews with the pre-christian Herero and I don't here
anyone suggesting that  GR is anti-herero.