V. (Ch 3) Max's (other) disgrace/Alice

Paul Mackin pmackin at clark.net
Thu Nov 30 06:09:52 CST 2000


Yes, as Rob says,  we seem to have in Max's (Ralph's) Alice only yet another
in an army of Pynchonean tykes who can never qualify as poster child in a
Mothers Against Child Abuse campaign.

                                                P.


----- Original Message -----
From: "jbor" <jbor at bigpond.com>
To: "Paul Mackin" <pmackin at clark.net>
Cc: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2000 3:00 AM
Subject: Re: V. (Ch 3) Max's (other) disgrace/Alice


>
> Your comments prompted another thought, Paul. Max joins an array of
> Pynchonian adult male characters who have engaged in carnal relations with
> sexually-aware, if not until then sexually-active, juveniles. And, as with
> Slothrop and Lt Weissmann in _GR_, it is the younger partner who has been
> portrayed as the instigator of the seduction. It is not as conclusive as
in
> _GR_, as Alice's perspective is barely represented in the narrative, much
> less so than either Enzian's or Bianca's there. But the argument that Max
is
> a manipulative child abuser merely justifying his actions after the event
is
> somewhat diminished by the presence of the framing narrative here. Why
would
> Pynchon depict Stencil impersonating Maxwell Rowley-Bugge deceiving
himself
> about his feelings and perceptions in his tryst with "dry-eyed" (70.29)
> Alice? It simply doesn't follow.
>
> For mine, this does seem to be a distinct theme running through all four
> novels (not forgetting Metzger and his nymphette in _Lot49_; and I suppose
> Paranoid Miles' come-on to Oedipa -- "I have a smooth young body ... I
> thought you older chicks went for that" CL 17.25 -- serves as a variation
on
> the same general theme). In each instance the adult is represented as, at
> the very least, NOT-evil, and more often than not the object of pity or
even
> empathy.
>
> best
>
>
> ----------
> >From: "Paul Mackin" <pmackin at clark.net>
> >To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> >Subject: Re: VV(5) Porpentine--embarassed, bashful
> >Date: Thu, Nov 30, 2000, 2:26 AM
> >
>
> > The rock may also have something of the Petrine sense for Victoria, may
it
> > not?  More dwelling  on that Catholicism of hers..  Yes, Porpentine
seems
> > above average hesitant and scrupulous for a participant in the great
game.
> > An international operator with morals--nice touch. Old  Max himself is
full
> > or allusion and word play. Alice and her caroling--wrong spelling no
matter.
> > It's well--read Pynchon who is THE  allusionist of course. The fellow
just
> > can't help it. And we certainly don't mind a bit.
> >
> > This is related to the whole idea of symbolizing mentioned by jbor I
think.
>
>





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