TSI, synopsis

[Abdiel OAbdiel]

--- Michael Perez <studiovheissu at yahoo.com> wrote:
>   The story opens on a gloomy and rainy October 1,
> just as Tim Santora
> is about to visit Dr. Slothrop in order to have a
> wart removed.  

Thanks you Mr. Perez. An excellent synopsis. It's
difficult to provide a synopsis of this tale because
it is really a Pynchonesque story. So hats off to you.
This tale is a much better example of Pynchon the Fast
Learner than Pynchon the Slow Learner. In fact, in my
opinion this tale blows both Entropy and CL49 away. In
terms of the basic elements of a good story (those
Pynchon notes in the Introduction to SL) this story is
on the same level as some of the V. Chapters and I
think that next to TSR, LL, Entropy, UTR, this one is
a diamond in the rough. 

One of the difficulties for reader of Pynchon's
fiction is time. As I read the opening paragraph we
are inside Tim's home at some time in October (I don't
think it is the First of the month). It's raining. In
fact,  it is the first rain of October. Most of the
brilliant colors of the trees have been stripped. 

Although P says he has still never been to the
Berkshires (he says this in the Introduction), being a
native Long Islander and New Yorker he certainly knows
that people from NYC and it surrounding areas go up to
the Berkshires to see the peaking of the Fall foliage.


As the story opens the foliage peak is over and the
beautiful colors are washed out, the sun is not
shining, it is raining. To make matters worse, it is
saturday and a boy is trapped inside. Color is an
important motif in this tale and imprisonment and
slavery is a major theme. 

I think it was Elaine who mentioned the washing
machine as womb and rocket? 

If we draw the opening scene, just a simple sketch, at
the very center is Tim Sentora's wart (it changes
color under artifical light--contrast with the sun and
foliage etc.). The wart is on Tim's finger (this is
the first of many allusiions to Mark Twain). Tim is in
a tipped over washing machine. The washing machine is
in a back  room.  The room is in the house. The exits
to the house are guarded by Tim's mother. The house is
surrounded by rain. Tim is boxed in. A prisoner. He
listens to the rain flowing down a drain pipe. Looks
at the clock. Looks at the wart (he has already been
to Dr. Slothrop's and Grover has already told him
about the parental ploy--suggestion therapy). There
seems to be no escape. 

What realeases Tim? Does the sun miraculously break
through the clouds? Does a friendly and persuasive
person show up and convvince Tim's mother to let the
boy go out and play? No. An act of terror and guilt
releases him. So Pynchonesque. 
 

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