1984 Foreword "redefining a world in which the Holocaust did not happen"

[Mutualcode at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/27/2003 5:33:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jbor at bigpond.com writes:


> From the Foreword:
> 
> > There is some felt reticence, as if,
> > with so many other deep issues to worry about, Orwell
> > would have preferred that the world not be presented
> > the added inconvenience of having to think much about
> > the Holocaust. The novel may even have been his way
> > of redefining a world in which the Holocaust did not
> > happen. (xvi-xvii)
> 
> 

Pynchon's speculation reinforces my points about Orwell's
naivete concerning state sponsored anit-semitism, his 
unwillingness or inability to consider it as a more general
threat in the future, and, the differences between Orwell's
and Pynchon's choice to not give The Holocaust overt
"air time" in "1984" and GR respectively.

About your stated suggestion that the foreword:

       "...seems to confirm Pynchon's own representation in _GR_ of those on 
       both sides of the war divide not wanting to think about the Holocaust, 

       even those who did know what happened in the death camps."

It's an interesting speculation linking Pynchon's description of what may
have been motivating Orwell in and around his creation of "1984" with
what may have been motivating "those on both sides of the war divide"
in GR- characters, I'm assuming you mean- "not wanting to think
about the Holocaust," but could you be more specific- which characters
in GR- so we can decide for ourselves.

respectfully
 
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