Mason and Dixon as Characters

[The Great Quail]

David Morris:

> <<I cared about Mason and Dixon as characters. I don't
> agree that they're "two-dimensional effigies.">>

MalignD,

> Quick now:  which one was Mason, which Dixon?

Oh my! I *loved* Mason and Dixon as characters. In fact, I think their depth
signaled an increased maturity in Pynchon's writing. I even *cried* at the
end of the book....

But anyway, to answer your question:

Mason -- melancholy, haunted, overly serious, desiring to open up
emotionally but not knowing how; and afraid one day he'll be forced to. As
he aged, his humor grew more warm, more sly, and his affection for Dixon --
through whom he, occasionally, lived vicariously -- sustained him. Small
things mean a lot to Mason, though he'll rarely admit that he's been
touched....

Dixon -- passionate, human, in love with the pub life, quick to act on his
emotions, teasing but rarely mocking, quick to sense irony, takes delight in
spinning tall tales, and occasionally feels fettered by his friend's
submerged emotional needs.

--Quail