V.V. 3--Time, place, and mirror-time

[jbor]

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>From: Don Corathers <crawdad at one.net>
>

snip
> Later there's another take on mirror-time. We are shown Paola's clock at 6
> p.m., as the minute hand "passed twelve and began its course down the other
> side of the face; as if it had passed through the surface of a mirror, and
> had now to repeat in mirror-time what it had done on the side of real-time."

I think that it is the illusion of the continuousness of time which is again
foregrounded in this description. There is "no ticking" because it is an
electric clock: "Its minute hand could not be seen to move." The cumbersome
passive/objective verb tense makes me think its more to do with perception/
illusion again.

I also like the way Paola's note perplexes Rachel:

     Nothing but proper nouns. The girl lived proper nouns. Persons, places.
     No things. Had anyone told her about things? It seemed Rachel had had
     to do with nothing else. The main one now being Esther's nose. (51.8)

The difference in outlook is significant, not just on the animate/inanimate
theme (though Esther's 'inanimate' nose is a nice touch), but in terms of
the different ideologies which underlie each: Paola's humanism opposed to
Rachel's materialism, perhaps?

Re. Sphere as Monk or Coleman. Why does it have to be either/or? Why not
both/and, a composite fictionalisation? Charlie Parker is referred to by
full name and nickname (60.5-6); I can see no reason that Pynchon wouldn't
refer to the one or the other directly by name if that's who he meant.

Good notes. Thanks.

best