VV (16) Rachel and Fina

[Samuel Moyer]

Rachel has come along way since her carefree MG days when she first met
Benny.  In this chapter she fails in her duties as caretaker of The Whole
Sick Crew, just as Fina had failed The Playboys.  There seem to be a few
parallels between Rachel and Fina...

In earlier chapters we have Winsome seeking Rachel as a means to get to
Paola... somewhere he even says he hopes that Rachel doens't get the idea he
is coming on to her.  At some other place Roony and Pig have had a fight
over Paola (over Mafia, but they both knew they meant Paola).  When he sees
Paola as Ruby he doesn't even flinch.  He seems to accept that McCintic has
won her.

Page 349.  McClintic leaves Ruby and Roony alone and Roony's first comment
is open-ended:

"I know a girl I can take along," said he, "I suppose her name is Rachel
Owlglass, who lives on 112th."

Maybe this is meant to give Paola a last chance to choose him over
McClintic?  That, I suppose, assumes that Paola knew that Roony was after
her all along.

Either way it is interesting that Roony falls back onto Rachel.  Is this a
purely physical interest... is he just looking for a female body to take to
Lenox?

Sam