pynchon-l-digest V2 #1443

[MalignD at aol.com]

 << I think I can understand how a critic at the extreme end of the 
post-modern assertion there are no moral absolutes, might want to read 
Pynchon in such a way as to erase Pynchon's moralizing; I note that it takes 
a lot of fancy footwork to do so ...>>

There's some footwork to be noted in Millison's argument, not terribly fancy. 
 Having suggested (not very convincingly) that turning  "... in this context 
sounds very much like the turning in the Christian notion of repentence, 
turning away from sin and towards God ..." Millison then says  "Why would 
Pynchon lift a trope from the Christian scheme of confession, forgiveness, 
redemption ..." as though what "sounds very much like" to him has become an 
established given.  This is Millison stomping clumsily on the P-list's toes.  

Millison's interpretation is at best a stretch, ignoring the more likely 
possibility (particularly in war time) that "turning" means shifting 
allegiance to the other side or, more simply, turning away--in Pokler's case, 
simply reverting to previous behavior.

One can as easily use the same passage, pulling words one wishes to load, to 
make the opposite --that is, "no God/no morality"--argument.  Is not marriage 
a Christian rite?  What is Pokler's position vis-a-vis God to blaspheme this 
rite by putting his ring onto the finger of a "random" women (or, from yet 
another point of view, to betroth Death)?  Is not randomness in the universe 
the quintessential atheistic position? 
  
Millison writes:  "It may be worth noting that Pynchon here does appear to 
affirm the possibility for such a turning:  his narrator tells us Pokler has 
'hardly any chances', slim but not none."

This would be assuming, as already noted, that Pynchon meant "turning" as 
Millison assumes he meant it, an assumption alive in Millison's brain if not 
elsewhere.  In any event, ""slim but none," is not exactly a Christian trope; 
rather a comment on odds, chances, probabilities, such as occur in a random 
and unordered series of events.  Or universe.

Nabokov said of symbols, don't confuse them with the smudges of your own 
fingerprints.  By all means, have the Pynchon you want, but you would do well 
not to confuse him with the narrow-minded boob staring back at you from your 
bathroom mirror.