mddm 27: Franklin

[Paul Mackin]

Bandwraith at aol.com wrote:

> Franklin is such a rich character, hard to mythologize, it is
> fascinating to see Pynchon use him only as bit player. It begs
> the question once again, does it not: Why M&D?

Aren't the bit players of history, Mason and Dixon being examples
notwithstanding the fact a famous line was named for them, a better
choice for lead roles in historical novels? Little guys are better to
reflect big guys and big events off of. More contrast.  A similar
approach is to use completely fictitious persons as the main characters.
The law of necessary contrast, it might be called. Of course there are
exceptions.

P.