The Quest and the Grail

[Paul Mackin]

On Wed, 14 Jun 2000, Terrance wrote:

> 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. 

Where did the idea come from P doesn't accept an exalted state. I
thought this was something he accepted almost to a fault. The
possibility of a Utopia out there somewhere. If P can be considered "a
corrupter of youth" it would be  in egging youth on to believe things can
be really good again if only they can get rid of ... I personally think
this charge of contributing to the deliquency of minors is totally
overblown. Youth will have their revolutions without P's aid. It's
oedipal, among other things.


> I disagree with Paul. It does
> matter. Irony doesn't explain it away. 

I probably didn't express myself clearly enough. Too telegraphic
again. The "it doesn't matter" referred exclusively to P's possible
negative feelings on the baby Jesus story or the nativity myth. As Vaska
says many Catholics resent the little tyke. What's more Catholic
theologians may resent him as well.  The nativity story, the Virgin Birth,
the Immaculate Conception are strickly side court issues relative to  
Center Court Redemption, Justification, and Salvation. Perhaps Church
Fathers might have been a little more ruthless in red pencilling out
nonessential pagan holdovers. Of course Western Civilization would
have been different story without the Cult of the Virgin. We'll never know
how different. 

			P.