SLSL 'Low-lands': racist, sexist and fascist talk

[The Great Quail]

Terrence:

> How rediculous! What's the big
> deal? P can't walk on water.

I agree; though I also feel that he is being too hard on himself, and some
of the SL intro seems to me a bit much; I think Pynchon comes it a bit high
with the PC hand-wringing.

"Low-lands" is a story about mid-century sailors, and if the narrative voice
wouldn't resonant with a certain fond tolerance, even sympathy, for Flange
and Pig, it would be much less effective. It's a story written by an
imperfect guy about an imperfect guy, and I truly feel that if the narrative
voice would be more PC or sanitized or careful or what-have-you, the story
would lose some of its effectiveness, as we'd see the author placed too far
above the characters.

This isn't to say that the story is not insightful; it is, and it's my
favorite Pynchon story. It lands its shots well, deep beneath the flesh, so
well that it takes a while to even figure out where you've been scored....

But of course, I am a 35-year old guy, obsessed with nautical fiction,
classical music, and tall tales; living in New York in a relationship of 5+
years and a bit freaked out about the "when are we going to have a child"
question, so.... Well, maybe "Low-lands" works for me because I see so much
Flange in myself? 

--Quail