MDMD: Pynchon's Mystakes (formerly Re: Buzz-Men)

[The Great Quail]

Doug writes,

>In a novel where the action takes place in the 1760s (Mason and Dixon's
>adventures) and 1780s (Cherrycoke's retelling of same), but which also
>contains references to present-day phenomena such as Star Trek, the use of
>anachronistic diction doesn't surprise me.  I'm also among those who find
>it difficult to buy into the argument that "Pynchon made a mistake" or
>otherwise wasn't in control of his material.

While I agree with you on this case, it may be useful to recall that 
Pynchon *does* make mistakes. (There are certainly a few in 
"Gravity's Rainbow," as Weisenburger and others have pointed out.) 
Even the Man himself has admitted to such in the famed "Slow Learner" 
intro, where he discusses both his missteps (dialogue, concepts, 
themes) as well as actual errors ("the Grippe.") I think it's 
reasonable to assume that he is still evolving as a writer, and there 
may be actual mistakes in M&D. (Though again, I agree with Doug on 
this one.)

Hell, even Joyce made errors! And that Melville cat, don't get me started.

--Quail
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Great Quail, Keeper of the Libyrinth:
http://www.TheModernWord.com

If I have said anything to the contrary I was mistaken.
If I say anything to the contrary again I shall be mistaken again.
Unless I am mistaken now. Into the dossier with it in any case,
in support of whatever thesis you fancy.
      --Samuel Beckett, "The Unnamable"