GR 'Streets'

[David Morris]

--- jbor <jbor at bigpond.com> wrote:
> 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.

Of course it's just an interpretation, but it's one that requires you to supply
an emotion not stated in the text, which is fine, but your basis for it is thin
IMHO.  I think it is more valuable to focus on what's stated and not stated
which paints a picture more eloquent (IMHO) than the one which supplies
Slothrop with the uderstanding of what he's looking at, and the emotions you
give him:

1.  It is never stated that Slothrop understands what the photo is.  In fact
there is a long list of associations made, listed by a narrator but probably
describing Slothrop's mind, and not one of them says "atomic bomb."

2.  The headline doesn't say "atomic bomb.

3.  WE understand, without it ever being spelled out, what the headline says
and what the picture is of, but Slothrop sees every thing in the world other
than what it is.

4.  Slothrop stares at the picture a long time, but forgets that he does.  And
no emotion is attributed to him.  The only emotions implied are those that the
associated images can generate, for us, and maybe for him.  They are a
wonderful array of images, and I don't see despair in any of them.  Th amazing
thing for me is that they are primarily about LIFE.

So for all of the above it seems to me that Slothrops mind is a creative sieve
generating alot, but not able to hold onto anything, which is why he can't
remember staring at the photo for so long.  And he's about to go get naked.

David Morris



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