VLVL2 (3) A Finesi Romance #1

[jbor]

on 12/8/03 12:34 AM, Paul Nightingale at isread at btopenworld.com wrote:

> At such moments, Tweety
> steps out of the 2-D action and sits next to the reader, becomes an
> observer: much as Zoyd does when Hector entraps Van Meter?

I'm more inclined to think that Zoyd hasn't understood the ritualistic gag
and PI routine which Van Meter and Hector employ here. I actually think that
Van Meter provides the corroborating information about Leon deliberately,
and that the "Aaaaa" is for Zoyd's benefit, or part of the routine. A snitch
needs to be careful not to let others know that he is a snitch.

> The flashback runs three pages (22-25) and offers Hector, in Ricardo
> Montalban mode, trying to write, ie produce, a narrative that features
> Zoyd as snitch.

I don't think this is correct. For example, the new paragraph (starting at
24.12) contains information provided by a detached narrator. It provides
details which -- explicitly -- Hector does not know about (the "sweet basil"
and "Bisquick" deals which Zoyd *doesn't* tell Hector about). And unless
Ricardo Montalban was renowned for idiomatic Irish characterisations ("to be
sure" 24.20), I don't see how you can read it as Hector fabulating.

Nice try though.

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