another go

[Otto]

I wouldn't call it superior, just different. I use them both.
Weisenburger's scene-by scene-guide is more elaborated, but Fowler's
introductory chapters, his explanations of the patterns of GR are great.

>From the Introduction:

"No matter how bizarre or arbitrary a scene or effect in Pynchon's work
seems at first, it is in fact connected to his fundamental interests with a
web of meaning no less real for being subtle, and once we learn to recognise
the codes with which he assigns value and suggests significance, we can
enjoy his fiction more fully.
Those cockroaches, dodoes, erections, falling rockets, and singing mice
embody aspects of an indictment, made by Pynchon throughout the novel of
Western Christian civilisation, and if we fail to connect details like these
to the larger design and ignore the way they convey his meaning, we will not
experience his fiction as he intended it to be experienced. We must also
understand the way in which details such as these foreshadow apocalypse,
adumbrate the malignant incursion into out world by a mysterious "They," for
Pynchon's fiction not only sets out a scheme of values, it also narrates the
clash of invaders with defenders in a War of the Worlds that threatens our
very survival.
The most remarkable aspect of Pynchon's work is not his breadth, but his
depth. It is hard not to be impressed by a writer who can involve us in a
lyric paragraph about the discovery of the benzene molecular bond, or
interests us at a deeper level than parody in a poem about King Kong, but
when we realise that these effects not only make a fresh statement about the
destructiveness of Western culture but also link themselves to a tale of
supernatural terror, we should properly be amazed."
(Fowler, 9.11-32)

Otto

----- Original Message -----
From: Brent Edwards <cbrente at alltel.net>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Cc: Dave Monroe <davidmmonroe at yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2002 5:03 PM
Subject: RE: another go


> Thank you, Dave. Someone already pointed me to that copy.
>
> A Franklin seems a bit steep to me, too. So to you (and anyone else who
has
> read it), is it superior to Weisenburger?
>
> Regards,
>
> Brent
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Dave Monroe [mailto:davidmmonroe at yahoo.com]
> > Sent: Friday, March 29, 2002 10:50 AM
> > To: Brent Edwards; pynchon-l at waste.org
> > Subject: RE: another go
> >
> >
> > If you've got a c-note + s/h to blow ...
> >
> > http://dogbert.abebooks.com/abe/BookDetails?bi=81107414
> >
> > A little steep for me, at least for that one, so ...
>
>
>