Kids

[Michel Ryckx]

I thought the idea of 'innocent children' is fairly recent (developed
during Mason-Dixon time) and a typical idea of the West -Rousseau
started it, if I remember well.  Being a father of 2 daughters myself,
it is fairly shocking to see what mr. Pynchon uses children for.  At
random:
1. Gottfried and Katje as Hänsl and Gretl, with Blicero as the witch.
They refer to 'der Kinderofen' -mentioning thus the fairy tale and an
extermination camp, that absent presence in GR. (p.94.20).  Katje thinks
of  Gottfried as 'Brother in play, in slavery... (p. 95.13)
2. Geli.  'Her song, she admits, sighing, is mostly wishful thinking'.
(p. 290.34)  The other Geli I know of was the only woman Hitler ever
loved, Geli Raubal who committed suiced in 1931.  He kept on mourning
her (according to a Werner Maser study)
3. Slothrop on p. 286.21-22: 'Nice way to find out your father made a
deal 20 years ago with somebody to spring for your education.'
4. The Herero girl Tchitcherine's father is sleeping with, is described
as ' a sultry native wench' (p. 351.31)
5. The sad story of Ludwig looking for his lost lemming 'Ursula'
(meaning 'little bear', a teddy bear?).  Slothrop says: 'Quit fooling'
(p.553.40)
6. I've always imagined Byron the Bulb as a child not wanting to grow
up.

We are conditioned to see children as beautiful and innocent.  They do
no harm and have to be protected.  Of course this is not true (remember
your own childhood), but it is a modern myth and we act according to it
-or so we like to think.  As I've mentioned in an earlier post: mr.
Pynchon uses wide-spread ideas and confronts us with the utter stupidity
of it.  Children cause adults to commit treason.

Sad regards,
Michel.