MDDM Ch. 54 historiographic metafiction

[Michel Ryckx]

Is your conclusion, Otto, based on this paragraph not a bit far-reaching?  As I
read it, "thus controlling the very stuff of History" at 530 has nothing to do
with history as science.  The idea of controlling one's knowledge over the past
is not the historian's view; it is the view held (even now) by those in
control, as you wrote.  And it is the Wolf of Jezus who "understands".  However
poor our knowledge of the past, it is better than to have no knowledge.  And
there aren't any historians left who claim to have an absolute truth over the
past.  They know their view is partial.


Otto wrote:

> The Usual Tragedy
>
> 530.13-15, 19-20
> "But then the Spaniard may see an opportunity to remove certain memories,
> and substitute others,-- thus controlling the very Stuff of History.(...)
> The Wolf of Jesus, perhaps never aware that Lies and Truth will converge
> (...)."
>

The phrase goes on: "albeit far from this place", which implicates the
characters here can make a difference between lies and truth at this given
place and time in the novel. (gosh, I'm already applying Robert's method of
reading)

> Compare this to Wicks' "Christ and History" on p. 349. History, the idea
> that through looking back in time we could gain any objective knowledge of
> the past, is one of the three meta-fictions deconstructed by postmodernism.

This quote at p. 349 has puzzled me for a long time.  But the idea of "a great
disorderly  Tangle of Lines" is exactly what a historian now is aware of.  The
problem I have is with the use of the word "Destination" at 348.12.  The
Reverend of course has no problem with that: the idea of history --or rather
mankind-- having a Destination, was common in the 18th century; Hegel made a
brilliant career out of it.  And it is consistent with Wick's remark at p. 75:

"Brae, your Cousin proceeds unerringly to the Despair at the Core of History,
--and the Hope.  As Savages commemorate their great Hunts with Dancing, so
History is the Dance of our Hunt for Christ, and how we have far'd."

[note the capitals used here]

I agree with public domain's remark earlier this week it is impossible to
distill the way mr. Pynchon thinks about the value of history if we only have
some remarks of the Reverend.  But the ideas of the reverend on history are
clear: there's a destination, there's hope, and despair.  And there are those
lines, all intertwined:  a gradual knotting into? (haha)

You know that I hardly know a thing about postmodernism.  But historians did
not need pomo to realise their science is very limited.  Apart from remarks
through the centuries (even Tacitus talked about it: he was constantly
frustrated by the lack of reliable sources), the French school around
'Annales', and Marc Bloch, have been studying these problems thoroughly.  This
was during the twenties and thirties of the previous century.

By the way, the concept of metafiction --bad language to mix up Greek and latin
words-- remains a bit hazy to me.

> "Those in power control history."
> Linda Hutcheon, _A Poetics of Postmodernism_, Routledge 1988.

> Otto

Kind regards (and see you in Cologne),

Michel.