Why Sista be messin wit the Devil

[Terrance]

> Well, I did read the Bible too and in all of my copies it's written the same
> way. Dunno what kinda Bible you've got. If you're calling Sullivan's reading
> a misreading I know now where your misreading(s) of the novel comes from.

Where is that? 


> 
> Sullivan is right that Rochelle is rewriting the creation myth.

That's obvious to even those that have never read the bible. Isn't it? 


> Sullivan is right that misogyny in the creation myth is obvious.

I'm not interested in this issue. 


> 
> And Pynchon is in good company, read John Barth's "Chimera" -- Pynchon did.
> 
> Otto

OK, I'll check it out. But please read Sullivan closely. His use of the
"Master-narrative" is downright silly. The essay is a mess. It reads
like a free-write or scribbled thoughts. Lot od interesting papers might
come out of it. Like one on Sister R's "anecdotes" (a clever use of the
word there, and it reveals Sullivan's bias). 
A master-narrative, as Sullivan (ab) uses that word/idea/concept is
something P  is suspicious of yet surrenders too. 

Sullivan's Master-narratives, 

1. Myths
2. ridiculous generalizations
3. courtly love 
4. Death
5. Television (S says, P has an apparent fixation with the Tube)
6. Brock Vond's view of the 60s
7. Reaganomics (According to S, Reagan's MN and BV's MN are in conflict) 

S concludes, 

Pynchon ultimately succumbs to the master-narrative of Reagan. 


Sullivan doesn't quote a bible. Neither does Sister R. 
I agree that Pynchon has Sister R tell Her story to form a binary with a
misogynistic reading of the biblical story. Sister R is blaming males
for the sins of the world. Of course we all know that Males have often
blamed Females for the same. 

The irony, of course (and it's the same theme over and over and over
again here) is that in the biblical story(s)  Sister R counters, God
confronts our Grand Parents after they sin and they point fingers and
name names, turning on each other. 

The first words out of Adam's mouth are not, "I ate the fruit, forgive
me."  No, his words are "THE WOMEN" and "THOU" and  Eve's answer  is no
better, "THE SERPENT."  

God (one God--Monotheism) is the only Law and his punishes them and us 
all. This is how the Ancient Jews explained evil in their midst. We must
remember that the Ancient Jews believed that the world they lived in was
Good (so we need to look at Sister's second "anecdote" too. Adam was
responsible for their suffering. Even when they were good, made
sacrifices only to their ONE God, they suffered. And they put the blame
on one man named Adam. Eve doesn't get all that shit piled on her (on
and off) till much later on. 
And Pynchon hammers at this again and again, from V. to M&D. Ultimately,
VL is another novel about Working the Good EARTH. 



When Prairie arrives at the Sisters she argues that she is willing to
WORK  and take  responsibility for herself. She doesn't sign a contract.
The adults there all sign contracts and Sister reminds DL when she
arrives with Prairie (109--Hunchback allusion) that Section B of Clause
8 of the Ninjette Oath (a typical Pynchonian sacred/profane conflation 
here an Oath&Contract) says, 

'To Allow residence to no one who cannot take responsibility for both
her input and her output.'