VV (20) The Xebec

[Samuel Moyer]

----- Original Message -----
From: "jbor" <jbor at bigpond.com>

> And, Pynchon as well:
>
>     This Maltese material is used for the background details in the
>     'Epilogue 1919' to V. In a letter to his editor Corlies Smith,from
>     Seattle dated June 2 1962, Pynchon wrote of placing this material at
the
>     end of the book, as it did not fit any other place, and it was his
>     favorite chapter.
>
> http://www.pynchonfiles.com/datavallett.htm
>
>
> And perhaps an even greater shock is when Fausto's dad says "My wife has
her
> child" (at 490.3 up), "her" meaning Veronica, and which is perhaps why
> Fausto had told young Stencil that they were brothers (444), because
Fausto
> *did* know the full story. In what sense young Fausto is Veronica's child
> isn't made clear, but it seems to me that there might have been some
> double-dealing (blackmail, bribery etc) going on between Veronica, Carla
and
> Fausto's dad which even Sidney wasn't aware of, and which is why she "kept
> him only as long as she had to" (492.6).
>
> So, I don't think the younger Stencil is the narrator. Like Benny, Herbert
> was "disposed" of in the last chapter of the novel proper, off to
Stockholm
> to seek after "the frayed end of another clue" (452), actively
perpetuating
> the wild goose chase mainly because he fears its resolution. (I wonder if
> there is some sort of Sweden-Eden thing going on with Stencil, as with Orr
> and Yossarian at the end of _Catch-22_ -- a nod by Pynchon to Heller's
> novel, perhaps, or some sort of anti-nod, a recognition that the sort of
> blithe utopianism with which Heller's novel closes is in fact a cop-out?)
>
> Anyway, it seems to me that this Epilogue is being narrated by a new
voice,
> is in fact a return to the detached third-person narrative of the
> traditional realist novel. The reference to the Board of Inquiry Report
and
> the bringing forward of the historical info. on Maltese sovereignty and
> self-determination to the present day at 491-2 seems to confirm this also.
>

Trying to follow the narrator in this novel can be tricky, at least for a
novice like myself.  What about in chapters 1, 2, etc... though, is this the
same narrator as the Epilogue?  Pynchon's favorite chapter.  I think it goes
well at the end.  I just went back to see which is my favorite chapter...
can't decide... liked Fausto's confession, but I also like the aligator
chase which ends with Stencil being shot.  And the list goes on.

When is Victoria likely to be pregnant?  Florence right?  I need time...
this novel is not for working fathers... Thanks for responding... good
stuff.

Sam