Authorrheal in Tension

[David Morris]

Oh, Ruud!

Pynchon Rorschach blots again:  The first part is promising: all about the
Condition (Situation?):  Dickss and BadAsses.  "Roots" is a good description.

--- RuudSaurins at aol.com wrote:
> Pynchon and War...
>    ...not much to discuss, is there?  GR non-withstanding, nobody is talking
> about the "roots" of so much belligerence, which Pynchon so ably addresses in
> his Luddite article (imho).  Some "Badass" is always bigger and meaner than
> you and willing to kick your ass to have his way.  Knowledge of the
> whereabouts and possible intentions of such persons can be terror inspiring.

*Break*

But the following becomes multi-valent (Slothop is THEIR feared Badass
(Golem)):  

>     No doubt that Saddam Hussein has more than his fair share of "Bodine"
> blood circulating thru his evil vasculature.  Should such individuals be
> dispatched with extreme prejudice?  Pynchon has composed scenes in his novels
> that bear some resemblance to pre-emptive strikes against "badasses". 

Here's where values FLIP, and in a good way:

> Pre-emptive strikes such as the intended castration of Slothrop backfire
(tragically, if you are the Major).

That's the FLIP!

> As was so eloquently and laboriously
> argued with regard to Dixon's "allowing" the slave driver to "run into his
> fist"; the narrative is only suggestive (at best) of the author's "true
> intentions" in composing the scene.  Again, no pre-emptive strikes are
> composed into the narrative.  Perhaps the author is suggesting to the reader
> that such actions either do not work, or are unpopular with the author. 
>                                                  truly,
>                                                  Ruud

You are right, Ruud,  Pynchon's stategy is not generally a face-on fight.  He
knows he's not up for that.  His strategy is flight, with a looking-back
fight-pie in the eye.  But in the Sci-Fi Fantasy-World which he does not allow
into his fiction (much), would he act as Superman if he truly had such power?

Love,
David Morris

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