FW: SLSL Intro "It is only fair to warn ..."

[jbor]

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From: jbor <jbor at bigpond.com>
Date: Wed, 06 Nov 2002 09:59:44 +1100
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Subject: FW: SLSL Intro "It is only fair to warn ..."


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From: jbor <jbor at bigpond.com>
Date: Tue, 05 Nov 2002 10:58:42 +1100
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Subject: FW: SLSL Intro "It is only fair to warn ..."


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From: jbor <jbor at bigpond.com>
Date: Mon, 04 Nov 2002 10:54:05 +1100
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Subject: FW: SLSL Intro "It is only fair to warn ..."


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From: jbor <jbor at bigpond.com>
Date: Sun, 03 Nov 2002 12:38:39 +1100
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Subject: Re: SLSL Intro "It is only fair to warn ..."

The "voice" used in this 'Intro' is much the same as the "voice" in the
other literary intros he has written: to the Barthelme collection, and to
_Stone Junction_ and the Fariña novel. (If anything, what's different in the
"voice" here, to my ear at least, is a hint of embarrassment.) The stories
are so-so, some worse than others; Pynchon recognises and admits that
they're so-so, adopting an informal register and jokily matter-of-fact tone
in doing so. It's pretty straightforward.

best


on 3/11/02 11:34 AM, Tim Strzechowski at dedalus204 at attbi.com wrote:

> I agree that the self-criticisms may be apt, but that's not to discount the
> possibility of Pynchon's wrapping those self-criticisms in the shroud of a
> persona, a seemingly self-effacing and near-apologetic "voice" that helps to
> convey a certain tone.
> 
>> The argument below is quite a flimsy one, considering that after this
>> introduction to his "Introduction" Pynchon then elaborates on the specific
>> "tiresome passages" and "problems" which he perceives in each one of the
>> early stories, now that he has reread them, in some detail. On the whole,
> as
>> MalignD has already said, Pynchon's self-criticisms here are pretty apt,
> and
>> they are presented with obvious sincerity and candour.
>> 
> 
> I suppose one question that results from this is: what does any author hope
> to achieve by
> 
> a)  reassessing his literary output and pointing out its deficiencies?
> 
> b) conveying that reassessment in a self-effacing "voice"?
> 
> Whether or not Pynchon deliberately chose to create a "persona" through
> which he could offer his reassessments, the fact that he employs a
> self-effacing tone and points out his deficiencies has a particular effect
> on the reader. He undoubtedly knows this. Hence, I find his tone in this
> Introduction most interesting, and wonder why he used it so.
> 
> Tim S.
> 
>