VLVL 4: War, politics and love

[Terrance]

Mark Wright AIA wrote:
> 
> Howdy
> It was always perfectly plain to me, for one, that RC was a Vietnam vet
> who came back to society in one way and that Blood and Vato were vet's
> who rejoined society in another. If one questions that RC is a Vietnam
> vet why not question Blood and Vato's claim to that status? Don't some
> men claim to have been in Vietnam, even occasionally some who never
> served in the armed forces at all? Not that I think this is the case,
> but it might look like a possibility if one wanted to stretch for it.

Good point. 

And, another important theme in this novel too, that is, what kinda work
did you do in the War(S), daddy, mommy? 

What Organizations did you belong to? 
Work for? 
Even as an independent contractor? 

Are you, were you,  what the  history books and the History Channels and
society say you are supposed to be? 

Are you the bad ass history says you are or not? 

Can I trust your Auto? Your Biography? 

How can you be a Harvard Graduate, a retired carpenter, portfolio
manager,  and a teacher? Hmmm? 

What are you fucking Walt Whitman or something? 

VL.175 

"I can't imagine you anybody's air force, let alone the kamikaze, who
understand from the history books, were fairly picky about who flew for
'em." 


This novel is a quest novel and Prairie is the primary quester. Like
Oedipa, She is looking for America. Like Stencil, she is looking for her
Mother. And like Slothrop, she looking for HERstory. Like Mason and
Dixon, her quest begins and ends with her WORK. 

RC is a farmer. This we know for sure. His business deal with Zoyd uses
child labor. 

That's what these '60s people are doing, they are betraying the hard
work of organized labor, the NEW DEAL for a Reagan deal. 

Pynchon doesn't spare them. He slams them, their L  ove, S  ex, and D 
rugs. 

Is he a Vietnam Vet? 

OK, say he is ... so what? 

He never talks, He never says he's a Vietnam Vet. He never denies he is.
He doesn't do anything. 

Vato and Blood and Ortho Bob talk, they act, we see their business in
Vietnam. 

Zoyd writes RC & Moon Pie a check. They gonna cash that under the
business name? 

He goes to Hobbs (P like this name, short, brutish, social contract) for
a disguise and cash. He only gets the cash. Goes to the bank. Later he
will get hair cut from Hobbs and look like every other yuppie in town.