NPPF Get Real

[Jasper Fidget]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org] On
> Behalf Of David Morris
> Sent: Friday, September 05, 2003 4:35 PM
> To: s~Z; pynchon-l at waste.org
> Subject: Re: NPPF Get Real
> 
> 
> --- s~Z <keithsz at concentric.net> wrote:
> >
> > I don't know what you are referring to here.
> > What comments 'are about' K's 'belief.'
> 
> N posits that if Kinbote were taken to UT he would find the smells and
> sounds
> familiar.  This would only be true if Kinbote really was from Zembla,
> which is
> unlikely.  Therefore his "familiarity" would be true only in the most
> extended
> imaginary sense.
> 
> Zembla is probably a "real" place in the novel, although there is still
> room
> for doubt.  For instance, does Zembla's fugitve king really look like
> Kinbote?
> The faculty club discussions would support Zembla's existence along w/ a
> fugitive king resembling Kinbote.  EVERYTHING Kinbote says is suspect.
> 
> David Morris
> 
> 

I agree with this but I have one point I'm stuck on: with Kinbote as the
only source of information, how can one suspect his assertions about his
Zemblan royal identity while trusting his account of a conversation in the
Wordsmith faculty room?  On what basis should we believe in the New Wye
setting any more than in the Zembla?  If Jack Grey is the killer and not
Jakob Gradus, then Kinbote's delusions (or lies) have clearly made their way
to Wye.

JF