unreliable? in Vineland

[Tim Strzechowski]

From: "Terrance" <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>

>
>   True, maybe "reliable" is a poor term for it.  But it's
> > definitely *not* unreliable narration.
>
> Why not?
>
> It seems to be unreliable 3rd person narration.

Unreliable how?

Does the narrative point of view mislead the reader? No, it doesn't.

Does the narrative point of view manipulate the reader's perception of how
the character processes his circumstances?  Not really.  The reader is
manipulated only to the extent that s/he learns *while* Zoyd learns.

Does the narrative point of view in any way convey an understanding of the
situation that might be different from that of the reader's understanding?
Yes, but only to the point of clarifying for the reader, who is just as much
in the dark as Zoyd, what is happening at the outset of the novel.

http://www.ksu.edu/english/baker/english320/cc-point_of_view_2.htm

>
> The next question is the one you're getting at:
>
> are the beliefs and characteristics of the narrator  shared by the
> implied author?
>
> Yes.

The narrator who emerges occasionally in this novel (.i.e the section I've
mentioned) exists only to the degree that s/he/it alerts the reader to some
narrative fact that the reader will subsequently learn.  I don't know that
it's a question of "beliefs" (and if it is and I'm missing something, please
explain).  And "characteristics," well ... the fact that the narrative point
of view helps the reader process information while the characters are
processing their information attests to its "reliability," no?

>
> This is the most important difference in VL from P's other novels.
>
> We can easily identify the implied author.
>
> Where is the self-conscious and paranoid narrator in VL?
>
> Where are THEY? THEM? Where is the conspiracy?
>
> Reagan?

One might argue that part of the development in Pynchon's style between GR
and Vineland is his tendancy in the latter to let the self-consciousness and
paranoia and conspiracy develop from the mouths of the characters themselves
rather than a 3rd person narrator (note the conversation b/t Zoyd and Hector
in Chpt. 3).  Consequently, one way of looking at it is to acknowledge the
control P is exercisizing over his narrative "voice," which is much more
tight in Vineland than in GR.  Now, whether or not that makes the narrative
"better" is debateable.

>
> http://www.law.utexas.edu/lpop/etext/okla/chase22.htm
>

Good link!

Tim