Pynchon as "recluse"

[Malignd]

<<Pynchon places a high value on his privacy and
there's nothing inherently "eccentric" in this.  Most
people are, after all, no less private, going through
life without being interviewed on television talk
shows, associating with friends, family, work
colleagues, staying out of the public eye -- that's
what I'd call a "normal" kind of life. >>

Even accepting that he's not "eccentric," this is
disingenuous.  Most writers at Pynchon's level, accept
and welcome the sorts of public and quasi-public
opportunities afforded them to comment or elaborate on
aspects of their work or on other topics.  Updike,
Bellow, Roth, Garcia-Marquez -- all move easily and
comfortably in and out of the public eye without
damage done to their privacy or reputations; also
without making ongoing curiosities of themselves by
refusing to be photographed; to be seen, knowingly, in
public; etc.  

Pynchon being interviewed by Charlie Rose, say, might
prove a PR and media event, perhaps uncomfortable, but
for reasons entirely of Pynchon's own making.  And if
a civil conversation--about his novels, about American
literature generally, about science and technology,
about the influence on him or lack thereof of Melville
and Joyce, about the coming elections, etc.--would be
an unthinkable, perhaps terrifying event, then, I
think it's fair to say that Pynchon likely has some
serious agrophobic problems or is what might
charitably be called "eccentric."

   

  


	
		
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