V.V. (18) V. in Love

[jbor]

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>From: <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>
>

> I'm not disagreeing with you, the fact that Stencil gives
> her some humanity,  "love,"

Again, this is incorrect:

    Stencil's dossier has it on the authority of Porcepic himself, to
    whom V. told much of the affair. (409.26)

Thus, it's not a question of Stencil merely "humanising" V. It is what she
has told Porcepic.

> V.--V in Love, is the easy part.
> But again, we have to deal with the Catholicism.

Catholicism, as such, really doesn't play much of a role at all in the
chapter:

    Tourism thus is supranational, like the Catholic Church, and perhaps
    the most absolute communion we know on earth. (409.15)

I guess it provides the simile here for a trend in modern global culture
which Pynchon roundly condemns. But the characters and events are steeped in
Classical mythology.

Previously, you wrote:

> Religion in Pynchon, we might define it as:
>
>  a totalizing commitment to a
> particular construct of ultimate reality, including
> the nature of humanity, the significance of history,
> and the governance of the cosmos; not ruling out of course
> the existence of spiritual forces both malign and
> benevolent.
>
> Will this work?

Well, no, of course not, for there is absolutely no evidence for this
definition of Pynchon's work or worldview to be found in any of his texts.

best