MDDM hist. refs re non-Intervention, W & G & Martha

[Samuel Moyer]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Millison" <millison at online-journalist.com>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 11:07 AM
Subject: good stuff! flame-free! MDDM hist. refs re non-Intervention, W & G
& Martha

Thanks Doug for these posts, a lot of interesting material.  I don't think
anyone here is willing to argue that the real (historical) Washington was
pro freedom or that he was ahead of his time with regards to the slavery
issue.  I know words such as freedom and liberty that made their way into
our founding documents had nothing to do with Blacks and everything to do
with landholders.  But the historical Washington is not really what we have
here.  The story is told by Cherrycoke in late 1786 so men like Hercules
(Washington's cook) hadn't escaped yet... The real question is why
Cherrycoke portrays Washington as an equal... or nearly as an equal... or as
less than equal, whatever any one of us readers thinks is the case, the
Washington in M&D isn't presented in the context of what we know as
historical fact.  So what is Cherrycoke doing?  Why does he set up this
scene in this way (as Rob already stated... he wasn't even there)?  XMAS
1786 is an interesting time... not long after (february) a convention is
called with Washington Presiding over it and in September 87 the New
Constitution was agreed upon and by June 88 ratified by the states.
Obviously in late 1786 GW was popular, at least among propertied classes...
like the LeSpark's... but how does it serve Cherrycoke in the story to show
George allowing Gershom so much liberty?

and I will trot this out from COL49:

The Historical Wharfinger... asks Oedipa (Crying of Lot 49 p. 151):

"The historical Shakespeare," growled one of the grad students through a
full beard, uncapping another bottle.  "The historical Marx.  The
historical Jesus."

"He's right," shrugged Bortz, "they're dead.  What's left?"

"Words."

"Pick some words," said Bortz. "Them, we can talk about."

Sam