VLVL 4: War, politics, and love

[Don Corathers]

The text of the inquiry is: "I'm not going to have to punch you out, am I?"
Moonpie's cheek on RC's hand was her pre-emptive, reassuring reply to the
question she knew was in the air. This doesn't seem very dark at all to
me--just basic boy-girl-boy stuff in a bar.

Don

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Wright AIA" <mwaia at yahoo.com>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2003 11:18 PM
Subject: Re: VLVL 4: War, politics and love


>
> --- jbor <jbor at bigpond.com> wrote:
>
> > There is a surface impression of them as a well-adjusted and happy
> > family, I
> > agree, and I've always read it that way previously, much as you do
> > below.
> > But this time around I'm alert to the darker shadows around their
> > situation
> > which are hinted at in the text. Maybe it's just me.
>
> Dark shadows are certainly there. I recommend a peek into Shays' book.
>
> > I think the description of the two of them at the Lost Nugget bar
> > speaks
> > volumes: RC's "deep eyes" and "mortally cautious bearing that told of
> > where
> > else he'd been", and the way he "slid back to the bar, dropped a hand
> > on
> > Moonpie's shoulder that she pressed for a moment with her cheek, and
> > nodded
> > at Zoyd with a please-don't-piss-me-off look of inquiry." It's a
> > wonderfully
> > evocative piece of writing.
>
> I agree. It is an odd-sounding phrase, though, that "with a
> please-don't-piss-me-off look of inquiry" --- isn't it? Not quite our
> man at his best. I guess it is the note of "inquiry" that makes
> RC/Moon/Zoyd's subsequent friendship believable, however. Inquiring
> about what? It isn't as if he is jealous of or uncertain about Moonpie,
> really. "You aren't going to trigger one of my episodes, are you? I
> hate it when that happens." i suppose the note of "inquiry" makes RC
> sympathetic and human rather than merely hazardous. And Moonpie presses
> his hand with her cheek, as if she knows she is all that holds him in
> place in the world.
>
> Mark
>
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