Pynchon's Badass

[Scott Badger]

> I think this is where I can see
> the parallels which are being drawn between he and Victor's monster, King
> Kong, Blicero, Dillinger etc. And you can be sure that in each case it has
> been "the people" who have venerated these Badasses -- it's like some
> secular beatification really, a *subversion* of the regime -- and
> that this
> is equally true in _GR_ for Dillinger (in the way he is idolised as some
> divinity by Bodine, Slothrop, and "young foax" in the U.S of A. c. 1952
> right up until now I guess) as for Blicero (who is similarly idolised by
> Enzian, Katje, Gottfried, the 175s etc). The monster's mind, King Kong's
> celebrity, Dillinger's greed, Blicero's aspiration to transcend
> -- these are
> all equally "products" of the dominant regime.

What do you make of the difference in popular appeal (charisma?) between
Blicero (or Pointsman) and Major Marvy? Seems to me that Blicero may have
his dedicated disciples, but Marvy is more an extension of the people.
Especially the rank-and-file.

Also, in recent discussions re. Blicero and Weissman and who's transcending
what, B & W are often presented as interchangeable.  Are they?

Scott Badger

Some suggestions made by my spell-checker:
	Gottfried -- got fried
	Blicero -- bilker, blacker, lucero??
	Enzian -- indian
	Katje -- kite
	Bodine -- bovine