VLVL2 (1): Man and Dog

[Vincent A. Maeder]

From: Tim Strzechowski>>Does Pynchon do this man/animal parallel
elsewhere in his works?  I seem to recall a LOT of dogs throughout GR,
with an obvious Slothrop/dog conditioning parallel via Pointsman.  But
is this a common thing in P's works?<<

Then There is the dog Poinstman and Mexico track down in the debris of a
bombed out building.
Also the Learned English Dog in M&D.
 
>>What significance does a dog possess in the context of this
comparison?  Why this animal?<<

The only thing I can think, based on his use of these characters in his
books, is in contrast to the complex human foibles versus the simple
emotion and actions of the dogs making them more humane than the humans
who control them...

V.