V.V. (18.5) Possession

[jbor]

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>From: "Samuel Moyer" <smoyer at satx.rr.com>
>

> Why does Stencil think the teeth belong to V. ?

I think it has to do with the "concept of property" Stencil and Eigenvalue
discuss. As a sort of goddess of the inanimate in Stencil's imagination of
her, the teeth have become a relic or prize of her symbolic dominion, if not
a part of her actual bodily assemblage.

I've read the line about the "failure of communication" a couple of times
now and I'm still not sure if I get it. Stencil goes to Eigenvalue's office
to face him (possibly "a test of guts"). They agree that "true ownership" is
some sort of moral concept, like poetic justice I guess. So Eigenvalue, as
the maker of the teeth (154.3 up), believes himself to be the moral owner.
But Stencil believes that V., who is to him the obvious recipient of the
teeth, is the moral owner. Stencil thinks Eigenvalue knows that Stencil
stole them. Stencil had bored Eigenvalue to tears with his stories of and
theories about V. So, what's the "failure of communication", and how come
they have "parted friends"?

> Because he is giving them
> to her as a gift?  That seems incorrect.  Or does Stencil believe that the
> teeth always belonged to V. but for some reason Eigenvalue had possession of
> them... and that he would return them to her?

Stencil's quest is a pretty warped one when you think about it. (After all,
V. is quite probably his biological mum, though he refuses to face this as
even a remote possibility.) Even so, relentlessly he seeks "her", though he
knows that in (at least one of) her human incarnation(s) she is dead. The
dentures will be a tribute or gift of sorts I guess.

In his incessant quest to find out about and subsequent narrations of her
life and exploits, Stencil "had left pieces of himself -- and V. -- all over
the western world." (389.5) The narrator remarks wryly:

    V. by this time was a remarkably scattered concept.

After this, and just as he is about to steal the teeth, Stencil sez:

    "Stencil is going to Malta like a nervous groom to matrimony ... "

So, the teeth are to be something of a marriage offering as well! Oedipa(l),
or what!

best