VLVL Why Prairie Wants Brock

[Terrance]

jbor wrote:
> 
> Thanks Terrance. I agree that the novel exposes the hypocrisies and
> selfishness and betrayals of all the characters, but I think they each have
> moments of insight and courage and genuine fellow-feeling as well.

Yes, even Brock Vond. That is, Brock Vond the man. Paul reminds us that
the SDS-ers and the other radicals were, by and large, just kids. Brock
Vond is also a very young man and really doesn't know what he's doing.
He takes big chances. Sometimes he gets lucky and succeeds  because of
some shift in the political wind or because his bureaucratic-immunity.
In spite of his immaturity and arrogance he has some pretty good
insights. 

Most importantly, he never turns. The closest he comes to turning is his
infatuation with Frenesi. It nearly cost him his job. Frenesi thinks of
Brock as an inconstant  Moon, but she's wrong, he expedient and he he
never turns. 


At the allegorical level Brock Vond personifies Death & elements of
American Fascism--a suppression of the opposition through terror,
censorship ...  belligerent nationalism and racism.