VLVL 4: RC

[Terrance]

jbor wrote:
> 
> on 30/12/03 2:16 AM, Terrance wrote:
> 
> > 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.
> 
> He's a character in the novel, and we're given quite a bit of back story on
> him. He communicates non-verbally with Zoyd at the Lost Nugget (36.15-18),
> and he and his family end up being part of Zoyd's and Prairie's circle of
> friends (40.32). Zoyd is in business with him and "Moonpie". We're actually
> told straight out in the narration that he's a "bush vet", and his character
> trajectory is framed by the phrase "since the war". That's more conclusive
> than if he were to say he was a Vietnam vet.
> 
> I'm not sure why you want to erase him from the text.


The text does a pretty good job of erasing him all on its own. He only
appears in a flash back bar scene and he never utters a single line. 

But, you've made a very good argument why we should at least keep this
tiny character in mind as we look into other major themes. Like Betrayal
and Snitching. 


There are well over one hundred character in this novel. Many of them
don't even have names. They are only The Programmer or  The Adjuster or
The Electrician. The Electrician is a very important character because
of the way he maps onto other Electricians including Prairie's
grandfather.  Characters map onto other characters in lots of different
ways and I think you have identified one of the ways in which RC maps
onto the other Vietnam Vets in this novel--Betrayal & Mortal
Cautiousness. 


I'm not suggesting that we erase RC but that we consider the other
Vietnam Vets in this novel and see how he doubles up and maps onto them.
And, of course, one way to do that is to look at  his Work. 

Are there any positive portrayals of **American**  Vietnam Vets in
Vineland? 

Of course, Australians also participated in the Vietnam war. 

Guess we can talk about that when we get to it. 

Thanks, 

T