NPPF: Keith's Shocking Theory

[cfalbert]

Normal, or perhaps simply a milestone on the "downward road".........isn't
there something about the privileging of sodomy over coitus as a  sign of
the coming apocalypse?

Certainly a trend towards homosexuality is frequently cited as an element of
the pathology of cultures........

love,
cfa
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Great Quail" <quail at libyrinth.com>
To: "The Whole Sick Crew" <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 10:58 AM
Subject: Re: NPPF: Keith's Shocking Theory


> Jasper writes,
>
> > Andrew Field thought Zembla was a "homosexual fantasy" for Kinbote
(whatever
> > that is exactly),
>
> I can see that, certainly. One thing that strikes me about Zembla is how
> open and acceptable homosexuality is, particularly among the ruling
classes.
> There is almost an expectation that young Zemblan men will dally with one
> another, not to mention page boys and the like. This is especially
powerful
> given the time the book was written and takes place -- America in the
1950s.
>
> It's actually one of the aspects of Kinbote's story that humanizes him for
> me. Even though he treats women contemptuously, there's something moving
in
> his need to create a land where his own sexuality is normal. Though I
> certainly feel that Nabokov treats K's sexual proclivities with a certain
> degree of mockery, the pathos is still there, under the surface.
>
> --Quail
>