VV(11): Fingernails

[jbor]

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>From: "Dave Monroe" <davidmmonroe at hotmail.com>
>

> But some intersting binaries there nonetheless, whether or not Pynchon  is
> knowingly playing on or simply reproducing such erroneous shared
> "knowledge," "wisdom," whatever.  Not only inanimate/animate, dead/living,
> but also--and there is much of this across that Pynchonian ouevre as
> well--pain/pleasure, maybe even death/sex.  At precisely those flickering
> fine lines "between" such terms ...
>
> But keep in mind as well the fingers to which said nails grow from here, the
> hands to which said fingers are attached ...

It recalls McLintic's white ivory sax, the teeth/psyche analogy, Esther's
nose job etc. and will come to something of a head later when Benny finally
does meet up with SHOCK and SHROUD at his new job. I think that the binaries
you mention are being de-constructed by Pynchon rather than taken as givens
simply in order to privilege the latter construct over the former. I don't
see that Pynchon's messages are so easily reducible or banal as that.

I was struck also by the fact that Benny doesn't appear to recognise Rachel,
but of course he probably isn't looking at her face when she walks into the
office at 216.7, and then only has a back view when she proceeds on into
"her country", i.e. the country of the employed, which is a nice touch on
Pynchon's part. Benny pretty soon registers who she is I think, the lust and
terror intermingling then, though it is slightly off-putting at first read.

best