GR 'Streets'

[jbor]

on 16/4/03 10:43 PM, Paul Mackin at paul.mackin at verizon.net wrote:

> The atomic bomb was appalling of course like many other events of WWII
> but if Slothrop was at all typical of American servicemen on that August
> day of 1945, especially if he had prospects of taking part in the
> invasion of Japan, his predominant emotion upon hearing the news would
> have been one of relief.

But Slothrop isn't at all typical of American servicemen. Where in the text
is he presented as being worried about taking part in the invasion of Japan?

I don't agree that his emotion on seeing the news is one of relief.


on 17/4/03 1:26 AM, David Morris at fqmorris at yahoo.com wrote:

> As I remember it, Slothrop doesn't recognize the mushroom
> cloud as such: he envisions it as a large white phallus and pubic bush
> pointing
> down from the sky.  And the fact that the headline is largely missing
> increases
> the possibility that he doesn't understand the "true" import of the photo.  At
> this point Slothrop's mind is largely blank, and close to his "Mr. Natural"
> state (naked in the fields).

There's some disagreement about whether it's a separate narrative voice
which is making the connections or whether it's Slothrop. If it is Slothrop,
which seems to be your argument, then it's a contradiction to then say that
his mind is largely blank. I don't see that there's anything in the passage
which suggests that he hasn't recognised the headline and photo for what it
is. Whether Slothrop or the narrative voice, the attitude towards the
propaganda logo of the occupation newspaper, and towards the mushroom cloud
and headline, is not one of jubilation or happiness.

    Slothrop sits on a curbstone watching it, and the letters,
    and girl with steel cock waving hi fellas, as the fog whitens
    into morning, and figures with carts, or dogs, or bicycles
    go by in brown-gray outlines, wheezing, greeting briefly in
    fog-flattened voices, passing. He doesn't remember sitting
    on the curb for so long staring at the picture. But he
    did.

The mood here suggests to me that Slothrop is awestruck by what has happened
and in despair. Which is why he sits staring "for so long" but "doesn't
remember" doing it. It also connects back quite clearly to the previous
paragraphs and contemplations ("passage", "morning fog") in the section.
Just an interpretation.

best