VLVL2 Preliminary: The Epigraph

[jbor]

> "Every dog has his day,
> and a good dog
> just might have two days.
> -- Johnny Copeland"

Of course, it's more than just an example of the old "every dog has his day"
proverb. Pynchon's appropriation of this particular line from Copeland's
lyric is a conscious choice, and it's the second clause, which extends and
alters the original purport of the cliché, that is the key to its relevance
for Pynchon's novel, imo.

The "just might have" in the lyric is an interesting construction. There's
also an idiomatic sense of "just might" which goes beyond the strict
grammatical modality relating to possibility and future time. The "just
might" construction is often used conversationally to convey a sense of
certainty (warning or promise), confidence, even optimism. (Anyone have
access to the full lyric?)

I guess the question is, who is the "dog"? (My money's on Zoyd.) And, does
the novel in fact depict him having his second "day"? (I'd say it does.)

best