VV (16) Rachel and Fina

[Samuel Moyer]

OK, if I understand you...

Paola seems to need a guy...  She hangs with Benny after the bar scene in
(Chapter one) Norfolk.  Before that she was a young (15) girl married to
Pappy Hod.  Once Benny lets her off in NYC she takes to McClintic.  I
suppose we should wait for VV(17) to discuss her next move...

As far as the young Benny.  Do you mean the Young Benny alluded to from the
Scaffold?  In Malta - when she had met and married Pappy.  I can see that.

Does Benny draw hearts in the saw dust (in the book - I don't recall)?

My read of Benny is that he is not the grab the girl sort... or the smoke
'em if you got 'em type...  Women seem to meet Benny, beer belly, eyes too
close together Benny.  Like his money, Benny seems to save and spend slowly
until it runs out, then it is back to a job to recharge.

Benny has temporary jobs followed by periods of unemployment which don't end
until he begins to run low on money.  Then it is "I guess I better find a
job."  With his women it is similar.  With Rachel, Fina, Paola, the
relationship lasts a week or month at a time.  Benny escapes.  Correct me if
I am wrong but Benny doesn't sleep with Fina or Paola, and he only has
Rachel lately.  Sex attaches him and he doesn't like attachment.

Sam

----- Original Message -----
From: "Swing Hammerswing" <hammerswingswing at hotmail.com>


> Nice, both of you. hmmmmm mockingbird, had one of them
> birds in the yard, black face...yup, yes like Benny
> drawing hearts in the saw dust, nothing permenant like a
> tat, ooooo, and she loves Benny, but young Benny, not
> Ben, Benny, he only builds a story, a MYTH of
> movie setups, nothing very permenant, nothing planned,
> like grab the girl (the braod, that's Paola) and take off
> in the direction we are heading, just keep moving, keep that
> ship moving, tha bus moving, what a Ploy, life is all you
> got just get born, get blessed, and don't sign on to no mindsweeper,
what's
> the name of that boat?
>
>
> >From: "Samuel Moyer" <smoyer at satx.rr.com>
> >To: "jbor" <jbor at bigpond.com>
> >CC: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> >Subject: Re: VV (16) Rachel and Fina
> >Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 20:55:18 -0500
> >
> >
> >From: "jbor"
> > >
> > > I got the impression that Roony didn't recognise her at first, and
that
> >it
> > > wasn't until McLintic leaves the room and she starts singing a song
> >(which
> > > starts off like 'Mocking Bird') to him that he twigs.
> >
> >I can see it this way too...  It doesn't make sense that he would say to
> >Ruby: "How did you do it." unless he had been fooled in the past.  Unless
> >he
> >means: how did you fool McClintic?  I still go back to p. 349 where he
says
> >"I know a girl named Rachel...." and her response is: "Your wife wouldn't
> >like that too much..."  Of course he might be wearing a ring... and he
did
> >use Rachel's full name and address...  It does say that McClintic
> >introduced
> >them.
> >
> >Now I am not even sure why I care, but I'd like to develop a clearer
> >understanding of why Paola is with McClintic, why she goes to all the
> >trouble.
> >
> >Partly to avoid Pig Bodine and the Crew, maybe to avoid Profane (whom she
> >loves?)
> >
> >Sam
> >
> > >Then there's that
> > > interesting discussion about how she used burnt cork, like "a minstrel
> > > show", to make herself look like a Negress (to fool McLintic?), but I
> >think
> > > she is being facetious. Roony then comments how she is chameleonlike,
> >asks
> > > if she is in fact "something we can look at and see whatever we want",
> >and
> > > then she talks about Maltese ethnic hybridity.
> > >
> > > It's an interesting exchange (350).
> > >
> > > best
> >
>
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