'Entropy' "...I slugged her"

[Mutualcode at aol.com]

I guess that means he'll be charged with something lighter
than acedia- another case of goddess bashing, no doubt.

I find the architectonics of 'Entropy' interesting; it's four 
"stories" I mean. It's a vertical structure which cannot help 
but relate to the discussion between Meatball and Duke,  about
the melody of a composition- a horizontal line, and, the implications 
in that melodic line for harmony , i.e., chords- vertical (simultaneous 
voicing of several notes in the key) constructions, which "fit" 
accostumed cultural notions of what sounds "good."

The reader is given descriptions, like melodies, of two of the four stories,
the third and the fourth. But what about the first and second stories? Surely
simultaneous activity must be taking place within those stories. Even if
now abandoned, then historically, activity must have occurred there. Is this
vertical structure supposed to represent metaphorically a chord- a
"construction" following rules of composition too complex for simple
human minds (but not a MUFFET!) to keep track of?

Examining the parts for clues to the whole (if there is a whole) and
starting with the "relatively" certain, the fourth story of Calllisto and
Aubade seems like a fairly good candidate to represent the 
apotheosis of order, science, rationalism, the physical laws of 
nature, and faith in their inevitable truth, etc. The third story, on the
other hand, hosted by Mr. Mulligan, seems a real stew of all that
preceded the discovery of the laws of thermodynamics and their
ban on perpetual motion, including those of the second kind.

This seems like a progression, and invites speculation about
the first and second stories (notes)- as Duke's "flash of insight" 
suggests the reader might- in accordance with that progression. 
There are a few other clues about- the reference to Henry Adams, and, 
Saul and Miriam. The reference to Adams, e.g., suggests an historical 
progression capable of being integrated into a whole, or resolved, 
into a chord-like structure, i.e., that history can be understood 
abstractly and symbollically, "played," if you will. Saul and Miriam 
are more specific-

If the third story is Catholic then the putative second story, of 
which Saul (Paul?) is a fugitive/representative, could be the 
original monotheistic or Judaic level: YHWH supreme.

That would make sense w/r/t Miriam- the goddess (one of many)
of the putative first story of this architec-tonic reconstruction, who
was supeceded- at least superficially- by the masculine god.

So the structure of the building- a typical Pynchonian technique-
lends itself, organically one might say, to the prevailing themes
revealed in the plot.

I'll stop here for now. Tying this architectural representation of
the tension between polyphony/harmony, counterpoint/melodic
resolution, part vs. whole, the ever "present" vs. the sweep of
history, and, the conceptual use of entropy, suggests possible 
future discussions.

respectfully 
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