Creative Freedom in Nabby and the Pynch

[Paul Mackin]

On Mon, 2003-06-16 at 07:12, Terrance wrote:
> 
> 
> > 
> > Thanks for this. I'm not sure the two quoted passages precisely
> > match up considering the topic at hand, but so much the better
> > to my tastes. 
> 
> Sitting on the subway yesterday I crossed my legs and glanced over my
> reading glasses and the Times at a pair of snickering nymphets. Even on
> Father's Day my sox didn't match. 
> 
> 
> As you have presented them, both passages seem
> > to imply that creation precedes- whether by cosmic design or not-
> > any "designs" the artist might provide, and, that the artists are
> > completely subservient to their initial inspiration which heralds from
> > realms less or more than the conscious. Only afterwards is the artist
> > free to consciously be creative. This may be just a little too precious.
> > (I am not saying it's what you are advocating) 
> 
> It's not what I'm implying or advocating. It's not what N or P are
> advocating in the passages. 
> 
> 
> It begs the question,
> > though, which I think Rosenbaum was hinting at, as to whether, at last,
> > the conscious self is any more real than other imagined entities. So far,
> > it seems like it would be important for Nabokov to believe in something
> > akin to the self or individuality. I'm not so sure about Pynchon.
> 
> I beg your pardon? What is the question begged? Does P believe in
> individuality? The self? Wha?


As I said in respond to Rob both statements are in substantial part
facetious.

Not that the issue brought up in Slow Learner isn't a real and serious
one.

P.