MDDM Dixon's act of violence

[RuudSaurins at aol.com]

To Sense Worth...
    When I read the passage, I thought that Pynchon was offering his twist on the old passive-aggressive joke (e.g., so I struck him repeatedly in the elbow with my eye...etc.) by having Dixon "conveniently" raise his fist to a spot where it would presumably accomplish his desired intention.  The explicit ambiguity seems to have accomplished its mission of stimulating thought and discourse regarding the issues at question in the passage.  Does anyone recall the Harrison Ford character John Book in the Peter Weir fim _Witness_?  The film includes a comparable scene in which Book displays a variation on a theme of Amish "non-violence" that is politely excused by the true Amish in attendance at his "response".
                           IMHO
                           Ruud