SLSL, 'UtR' Who won?

[Paul Nightingale]

Interesting that this story has a historical setting. All stories have a
historical setting, of course, but this announces itself as History. We see
the action through the eyes of Porpentine, however, who locates himself
somewhere in 'the past' and feels alienated from the story's 'now'. The
story's now is, of course, 'our' past - whether we're reading the story over
Pynchon's shoulder as he writes it in the late-50s, or when republished with
an introduction of sorts in the 80s, or now.

In the late-50s, conflict between rival European Powers was already a thing
of the past; in the Introduction to SL Pynchon refers to the arms' race that
had been going on since the end of WW2 (and which, in the early/mid-80s, was
enjoying a new leaseof life, so to speak). Pynchon doesn't refer to the Suez
Crisis in the Introduction, although that conflict (1956) confirmed the new
balance of power: the US/USSR relationship marginalised the 'old' European
colonialists, Britain and France.

Something else the Introduction indicates is that we know the past through
writing (here, old spy thrillers as well as the Baedeker guide). Strange,
therefore, to me anyway, that Pynchon complains about the dialogue - the way
he has his characters speak is quite authentic, if you consider his source,
or raw materials, to be writing rather than real life. And that includes the
writing of national stereotypes. The connection with V is clear. But apart
from that, perhaps this story seems most satisfying because Pynchon is
starting to deal with history as writing, the theme that will be so
important in both GR and M&D.