VLVL(4) Not A Chapter Summary (work & play)

[Terrance]

"Vincent A. Maeder" wrote:
> 
> Terrance:
> 
> I apologize if it is incorrect.  I assumed it was correct and admit that
> its addition to my posts was an afterthought.  But, what do you mean
> read the book?  Is there a book involved here?  Ohhh, you mean this
> Vineland thing?  That's a book?!  Jeez, what you learn on this list...

It's a difficult chapter. We are introduced to a lot of new characters.
The narrative jumps around so it's not always easy to keep track of time
and space. That's just one more reason why a  "summary" should not
ignore what is in the book and veer off onto phantom roads chasing red
road runners. 

Zoyd hits Phantom Ridge Road late (again) because Elvisa blew a head
gasket and she borrowed Z's rig at six in the morning. So he had to hunt
around for a replacement. He borrows Trent's Datsun and heads over to RC
and Moon Pie's farm where he has a sideline in crawfish. 

RC & Moon Pie are the first couple introduced in this chapter. We also 
meet Vato & Blood, Rick & Chick, Hobbs & Blodwen too. Irregular
partners/couples all. 

At the end of the Chapter, Praire will end up with her man, I-24. Zoyd
will end up alone again. But first he will meet up with his partner Van
Meter and with his Romantic Agent of another sort, Hector. We flash back
to Zoyd's irregular marriage/partnership/coupling with Frenesi Gates, a
film maker and student at Berkeley and we get some more details about
the Deal Zoyd cut with BV and Hector. 

Why Make A Deal? 

Elvisa borrows Zoyd's rig. That's cool, I guess, but he has to borrow
Trent's. Soon or Later some one is  gonna end up on the bus. Zoyd drives
to  RC & Moon Pie's farm where the kids harvest crawdads. The kids seem
to like the work and the parents like the money. In fact, the kids only
let the parents help out once in a while. Not a bad deal if you can get
it. Ah kids! 

Doug wants me to say something about Dewey and Melville. Well, I have
not read Melville so I can say anything about him, but I can't help but
think that Pynchon is alluding to Bugbee with the name Morning--Rc &
Moon Pie's eldest. 

The essay on work and play involves a building a dam. 

The Inward Morning

A Philosophical Exploration in Journal Form
Henry Bugbee, New Introduction by Edward F. Mooney.
Introduction by Gabriel Marcel

http://www.ugapress.uga.edu/books/shelf/0820320714.html

Work & Play


But it must not be forgotten that an educational result is a by-product
of play
and work in most out-of-school conditions. It is incidental, not
primary. Consequently
the educative growth secured is more or less accidental. Much work
shares in the
defects of existing industrial society -- defects next to fatal to right
development. Play tends to reproduce and affirm the crudities, as well
as the excellencies, of surrounding adult life. It is the business of
the school to set up an environment in which play and work shall be
conducted with reference to facilitating desirable mental and moral
growth. It is not enough just to introduce plays and games, hand work
and manual exercises. Everything depends upon the way in which they are
employed. 

CHAPTER XV 
PLAY AND WORK IN THE CURRICULUM: 
The Place of Active Occupations in Education. 

John Dewey, Democracy & Education