MDDM "Another Slave-Colony"

[Bandwraith at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/31/01 11:02:37 PM, jbor at bigpond.com writes:

>Wasn't Mason the one who threatened to "kill" Wicks at Cape Town? (84)

Or so Wicks has Mason, in sotto, relating to Dixon, just after 
Cherrycoke wisfully suggests that the role of Eve might be more 
pleasurable than that of Adam, while fondling a ripe Mango...

>I'm still inclined to the view that it's Mason's self-absorption and
>perception of his own pre-eminence in the partnership rather than greater
>depth or degree of characterisation which is at work here... 

Which would require a greater degree of characterization, no?

>and that it's he
>who presumes that he has more at stake, that what's happening to him is the
>rightful focus of all attention, that all the perplexities and intrigue
>revolve around his personal past and present circumstances and
>relationships. 

Again, though, it is at least Wicks who is making these narrative choices, 
and apparently agreeing about, if not inventing, those aspects of Mason.

>He is paranoid, solipsistic, backward-looking, introspective
>- and deliberately characterised as such - 

Right, and those aspects without further historical evidence
are as fictional as Pointsman's pederasty- may have come off
the same loom for that matter- although Chas is the more 
sympathetic.

>where Dixon is more self-assured,
>sensible, wryly observant. And, I think, more sensitive and caring towards
>Chas (because of these traits) than Chas to he.

And I think it fair to say that Chas is the more responsible. One is
given the impression that Mason could have rejected Dixon and
insisted on another assistant but was impressed by Jere
during their first meeting, i.e., he was not unaffected by the very
traits you describe, and I would include loyalty, as well, an
important asset in the eyes of him charged with the responsibility
of leading the mission and still hoping for advancement, if not
to become Astronomer Royal.

(snip, comments about available bio material...)

>I'm intrigued by your perceptions about *Wicks* being gay, however, (let
>alone Tenebrae flashing "beaver shots" at her uncle!) Surely you're joking?
>it seems to me that this novel, and even _Vineland_ for that matter, are
>much more coy in terms of characters' sexuality and carnal relations than,
>well, _GR_ at least. Or perhaps it's just that there's a helluva lot more
>explicit sex scenes in _GR_ than in the other works?

Just the way he comes across to me, is all,- nothing explicitly carnal
about it- just get the sense that he is cruising Mason.