pynchon-l-digest V2 #1794

[Jane Sweet]

Mike Weaver wrote:
> 
>  From Terance
> 
> >I think he also admonishes his readers to be cognizant of
> >the fact that the sickness  of idealism and  race and blood
> >religiosity, the romantic nationalistic  dreaming of
> >transcendent national teleology that infected Nazi Germany,
> >while it is only a potential and NOT a reality in the USA,
> >must be opposed whenever and wherever it begins to manifest,
> >but not by the type of radical extremism that is too often
> >said to be what Pynchon shows us in his fiction, not with
> >theoretical and academic
> >definitions (propaganda, i.e., "Globalization) and
> >reactionary political protests for and against imagined
> >leviathan and  Universal malignancy  but by practical
> >activity and the affirmation of the particular experiences
> >of individuals.
> 
> Go on Je sui T, defend that textually, and be sure to tell us
> what practical activity you mean, or is that - you think TP means?

How about Mason's Father, the Baker? He's practical and
pragmatic man, a bit too religious for your taste I'm sure,
but he does raise the children when his son goes off to
America. And P affirms that particular experience. How about
Fina in V., she is a very practical and pragmatic women, she
takes Benny in and helps him get a job. Again, like Mason,
Benny isn't able to deal with the practical and pragmatic
"mundane" life of family, but Pynchon, and in his Slow
Learner Introduction or see the Essay posted by Otto,
affirms the pragmatic and practical acts of Fina. How about
Tantivy? How about when Pig Bodine saves Roony's life. How
about Geli? How about DL? I can give tons of support for
this, but pick one of these and we can debate my point.