OFFLIST Re: GR: Colonialism and sexual choice

[Doug Millison]

OFFLIST

Get a grip, Morris. This is one of the stupidest things you've posted 
yet. Read an introductory article about political and sexual dynamics 
of colonialization -- you'll find plenty on the Web -- and you'll 
gain some good insight that will help you to appreciate Pynchon's 
work all the more. Of course Enzian loves Weissmann, he's completely 
in the European's power, he owes his existence to the colonial 
presence. But think about it, what's a German doing in that position 
in the first place. How does he come to have authority and power over 
an indigenous boy. The Germans, the British, the French, the Belgians 
all exploited huge numbers of people in their colonialization of 
Africa, took advantage of the women (turned them into whores; cf. the 
bordello scenes in M&D), and, as Europeans and Americans and others 
do everywhere in the developing world still today, used children 
sexually -- Pynchon depicts several examples of colonial exploitation 
in GR, plus the repeated characterizations of adults using children 
sexually. If the Germans hadn't been there as exploiters and 
oppressors, there's no possibility of a relationship between 
Weissmann and Enzian.  Maybe you saw the latest Bond movie. Remember 
the bit about the Stockhold syndrome?  Where kidnap victims wind up 
loving their captors? Doesn't stop it from being a sick relationship. 
And it doesn't take a nun to point it out.

At 9:37 PM -0500 9/10/00, David Morris wrote:
>With this post Doug aims for "P-list Nun" status.
>
>>From: Doug Millison
>SNIP
>>rj might not, but Pynchon clearly puts together colonialism and 
>>sexual "choice" (that's not a word I'd choose to disguise the ugly 
>>reality of rape or sexual abuse of a boy, although you might speak 
>>of Weissmann/Blicero's choice to take advantage of his status as 
>>colonial oppressor to make the boy Enzian his catamite). Pynchon 
>>went on to develop this theme of sexuality in the colonial context 
>>in M&D, of course, in some depth.
>>
>>Interesting to note, in the passage rj keeps quoting to somehow 
>>prove that Enzian is the instigator of the sexual relationship with 
>>Weissmann/Blicero (who wouldn't be there in Africa in the first 
>>place except for the colonial relationship which Pynchon has 
>>characterized in the passage above; there's no possibility of a 
>>loving or sexual relationship between Enzian and Weissman/Blicero 
>>absent the power and sexual dynamics of the colonial situation that 
>>Pynchon depicts),
>
>Enzian's existence is dependent on "colonial relationship."  His 
>mother, like Leni, was a whore.  Slothrop got a free ride w/ Leni. 
>Tchitcherine's father also got a free ride.  Both men were rebels, 
>AWOL.  Were they colonial?  Nope.  They were simple men.
>
>That Enzian loved Weissmann is one of the least ambiguous facts in GR.
>
>We all constuct our valued frameworks for GR.  Try to leave your own 
>at the door and just READ!  I know, it's impossibe....
>
>DM
>
>
>Pynchon calls Enzian a "boy" three times SNIP
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