SLSL Racial Differences

[Otto]

----- Original Message -----
From: "jbor" <jbor at bigpond.com>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 12:13 PM
Subject: Re: SLSL Racial Differences
>
> on 13/11/02 8:58 AM, MalignD at aol.com wrote:
>
> >> Yes, that's pretty much my take on it now too. "Us" being everyone,
> > not just citizens of the US.
 > > Certainly not the citizens of the US, as that makes no sense.  "Us"
> > could, however, mean "those who deplore them most," meaning, in that
> > case, Pynchon and others of like mind.
> >
>
> I'm interpreting "deplore" in the sense of *expressing* dissatisfaction
> (i.e. "bemoaning") rather than actually *feeling* particularly sincere
> about the issue.

I agree.

>But I can see the possibility you raise that the last two clauses
> are referring to the same group.

No, I don't think that MalignD is right here. If Pynchon regards himself and
others as relatively powerless in social and political matters this is only
realistic. I agree to Bahia Quasimodo in this.

> But then, if that's the case, I'm not sure
> that "useful" fits, even as sarcasm,

Right. But it fits very well in the case of those "*expressing* (...) rather
than actually *feeling*".

>
>and Pynchon and others of like mind
> aren't particularly "poor and powerless" either.
>

He himself seems to see that different:
"(...) the rest of us poor sheep (...)" (19.1)

> I'd say Pynchon's editor was remiss in not sending the paragraph back to
> him with a thick red line through this sentence and a large question mark
> in the margin beside it. It's not at all clear "who" or "what" he's
> talking about.
>

I have my doubts that the way you describe it is the way our man is dealt
(or should be) by his editor. And if there's one thing the editor should've
expected from him it's a certain level of deliberate opacity.

But again, my personal judgement of the "Introduction" is generally
positive. I've read it far more often (like his other non-fiction pieces
too) than any of the five following stories.

Otto

> >> It may turn out that racial differences are not as
> >> basic as questions of money and power, but have served
> >> a useful purpose, often in the interest of those who
> >> deplore them most, in keeping us divided and
> >> relatively poor and powerless. (p.12)
>
> best
>





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