VLVL Prairie and Isaiah

[Queen Jane]

> >
> For whatever reason Isaiah instinctively sees his role as protective, which
> in context is paternalistic; you might infer that he wants to impress Zoyd
> by demonstrating that he's trustworthy, whatever. Invoking parental
> authority (Isaiah sees himself as a substitute for Zoyd here) is
> paternalistic.

Whatever reason? Does your copy of VL include pages 53 and 54? 
> 
> What's in the text is that he's thrown by her decision to leave: "He
> frowned, a huge hand on her shoulder, trying to solve a puzzle." The
> paternalistic gesture is part of his attempt to make sense of something he
> doesn't understand. And then: "Isaiah was looking over at DL, eyebrows going
> like wings trying to pick up some lift." To which Prairie replies: "She's
> cool, rilly."
> 
> So what we have is Isaiah dealing with an unexpected decision on Prairie's
> part. He begins to try and talk her out of it; instinctively he's suspicious
> of DL. As some kind of rival? Perhaps. 

Maybe she has a long tongue? She  sure can swing a gun, that's fur sure.
And that car. WOW! Nothin like a Trans Am for picken up babes. 

Me and your Mom ... we um ...  ran together. 


Her unexpected, and unexplained,
> appearance would allow him to read the situation in that way: her
> appearance, and his judgement, allow him to make sense of something he still
> doesn't understand. This conclusion is justified by Prairie's response, an
> attempt to conciliate.

Yeah, I mean, this girl is on a Quest. I-24 ain't gonna get her to 
TOTAL LEE FAMILY, dude. Is he? Thought not. 


> 
> Help me out here. Where exactly does the text make it clear that "Isaiah
> understands the implication of Prairie's question, and ... acknowledges and
> respects Prairie's freedom and independence?"

Look in the Index under P, between Patriarch and Prick. 


> Why "rudely rejected"? It's the ambiguity (based on Pynchon's deliberate
> choice of "temporised") that's being rejected by readers who go for a
> simplistic reading, listing quotations taken out of context to make them fit
> a preordained, judgemental conclusion.

Shut UP!