VLVL2 work

[jbor]

on 17/7/03 11:18 AM, Tim Strzechowski wrote:

> 
>>> jbor:
> 
>> The second is that it's Zoyd's reading
>> of that letter from the Welfare Department which has been presented to us
> in
>> the text of the novel: "He understood it to be another deep nudge from
>> forces unseen, almost surely connected with the letter that had come along
>> with his latest mental-disability check, reminding him that unless he did
>> something publicly crazy before a date now less than a week away, he would
>> no longer qualify for benefits." From this description I do believe that
> the
>> disability payments are Zoyd's major source of income,
> 
> There's nothing inherent in the statement you just quoted to support your
> belief that disability checks are his major source of income.

The fact that he receives the cheques regularly ("latest") and that he has
done this annual stunt for quite a number of years (15.18) for this very
purpose, support this idea. Is there evidence in the novel that suggests
that something else is his major source of income?

>> and from the evidence
>> in the text he's well enough off (owning his own home and car at least)
> and
>> scoring a little bit of extra cash with some of his sidelines.
> 
> Perhaps, but I'd have to see some direct evidence for this home and car
> ownership to be evidence that he's well-off.

Car ownership @ 35.4, home ownership when the Feds start demolishing it (at
least), I think. 

> I happen to know a few folks
> who have a home and a car (not the greatest, tho), and they're pretty hard
> up.  Having a house and car isn't necessarily evidence of being "well enough
> off."  Define "well enough off."

Well enough off to own a home and car, and raise a kid. He's not on the
breadline.

>> But I do
>> seriously doubt that this is what the letter from the Welfare Department
>> actually says -- it's the way Zoyd interprets it, it's his realisation of
>> what he has do ("something publicly crazy") in order to remain eligible
> for
>> the benefit -- but the letter itself would, I imagine, be written in
>> standard bureaucratese telling Zoyd he needs to resubstantiate his
>> entitlement to the mental-disability claim.
> 
> But why doubt it?  I agree that an official document would not state it as
> such ("something publicly crazy"), but it could certainly be more specific
> in its description of what he needs to do for entitlement, considering it's
> been an ongoing event for so many years.

What he needs to do is satisfy "the mental-health folks" (4.24). These are
not the same as the Department of Welfare bureaucrats who pay him the
benefit. His once a year stunt is how he gets his "crazy papers" certified.

> Absolutely, but I don't know if I'd characterize it's portrayal as
> condescending and chauvinistic.

The idea that he is (or that Pynchon is) consciously decking himself out as
a demented housewife, is condescending and chauvinistic, in my opinion.

I also think you'll find that a majority of contestants on 'Wheel' back in
its early days were women. Less so now.

Happy to agree to disagree.

best