V.V. (17) Rachel and Benny

[Samuel Moyer]

----- Original Message -----
From: "jbor" <jbor at bigpond.com>
(Why was Profane Scared? top of 384.)
>
> My guess is that he was scared because he suddenly saw how predisposed an
> otherwise apparently reasonable person could be to "love" a thing. The
> experience of seeing Rachel making love to her MG started Benny thinking
> about "a world of things that had to be watched out for" (384), and his
own
> status in such a world as a "schlemihl", which he earlier defined for
Mafia,
> perhaps not quite honestly but only in order not to have to have sex with
> her, as "hardly a man: somebody who lies back and takes it from objects,
> like any passive woman" (288).
>
> I think another aspect to this scene is the way that Profane is scared off
> by Rachel's smothering love, a type of ownership in itself, as when she
> says: "My man"; and then literally becomes the "monkey on his back".
(382-3)
>
> best
>

It makes more sense that he would be scared of her smothering love and that
makes his eventual climbing on anyway more interesting.  She says no
charge... but also this one is for free... for love...  so it isn't for
free.  Maybe she is trying to say that she doesn't want anything in return,
either way, Benny usually runs from these situations.  As a Schlemiel he can
only take so he must believes this is really for free.

I think one reason he doesn't recognize Rachel at Space/Time when he is
looking for a job is because for once she is not connected to the MG.  Maybe
he really did see her as just an accessory to the car.  OK... I am echoing
what you have said above now... I think it is an interesting moment and will
come back to it again later.
Thanks, Sam