V.V. (8) Benny (was Re: Violence ON Demand)

[Paul Mackin]

My own feeling on the etiology of Benny's undeniably good behavior vis-a-vis
others in the story including Fina would be along the lines of those who
have commented upon the subjunctivity that not-infrequently can be sensed (or is
actually explicit  later on)  in P's writing style.  Brian McHale discusses
this Pynchonian mode or mood in his contribution to "P and M & D" (U of Del.
2000). Anyway, do not these passages in V.  have the decided feeling of 'what
if' or 'as if' rather than that of straight matter-of-factness?  I get the
feeling that Benny is indulging in a bit of wish-fullfilling phantasy.  I was
reminded of the scene in "The Big Sleep" when Marlow returns home to find the
delectable but quite batty Martha Vickers in his bed and gallantly refuses to
succumb to her.  Only of course this is Pynchon so that the bed is a bathtub.
Even Benny's moments of BAD behavior can perhaps be ascribed to his reading
habits. I'm thinking of course (and I think I'm remembering right) of the final
scene in Mickey Spillane's I the Jury in which the villainess who has just had
a gaping hole opened up in her gut by Mike's 45 sez to him "How could you?" and
Mike cooly answers "It was easy."    	 	

Yours in great literary moments, 

			P. 		
 	 			

On Sat, 27 Jan 2001, you wrote:
> jbor wrote:
> "I think you might be underestimating Benny a little on this . . . I
> think he displays enormous tact and respect for Fina as well as for the
> Mendoza family who has taken him in . . . There's a streak of common
> sense and concern for other humans (like the time his partner is
> attacked when that 'gator turned') with Benny which tends to get
> overlooked. His acts of charity or benevolence stretch back to Rachel
> and Paola as well. Benny is likeable I think, and it's do with that
> 'local good vs grandiose gestures' dichotomy which runs through
> Pynchon's fiction like a vein of gold."
> 
> Okay, but part of what I was trying to get at was that I think he
> underestimates himself, HE feels he's not up to some tasks.  I agree he
> has common sense and concern for others and it does get overlooked. 
> It's not that I think it wasn't noble of him to turn her away, but I
> don't know if nobility was uppermost in his mind.  I still think there
> may have been a good dose of self interest here, more trouble than it
> could have been worth.  He does show a certain amount of respect and
> gratitude for the Mendoza family, I suppose.  I don't really think that
> Pynchon is implying that Fina was gangbanged (and possibly beaten to
> death) BECAUSE Benny didn't come through and Benny probably doesn't
> think she was either, but that's a possibility we can talk about, it's
> not really clear.  I agree that Benny is likeable.
> 
> Michael
> 
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