VLVL2 (13) 3: Round wire rims with ND-I filters for lenses

[Bandwraith at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/11/04 11:43:05 AM, vmaeder at cycn-phx.com writes:

<< How else is this small yet astonishing detail symbolic of Ms. Gates'
character?  What of the fact that ND filters do not affect colors yet reduce
brightness?  What of the fact that the normal limitations of the lens (here
Ms. Gates' vision) in achieving certain depths of field are overcome by the
very same filters she is wearing?  And in the context of her liaison with
Mr. Vond >>

Good questions. These lenses and this scene form a key passage that
needs to be examined in order to understand Frenesi's complex role
in the novel. Specifically, I think, there is a relationship here to the 
Oklahoma tryst between these two "alpha" specimens of their respective 
sexes:

    She entered into a brief time-out in the struggle, from which,
    if she'd chosen to, she could have seen most, maybe all the way
    to the end, of what she could lose for this- OK, there he was,
    the whole package- for what? The fucking? Anything else? (213)

Frenesi's vision has extraordinary depth of field. She is also very powerful, 
certainly more than any of the other women in her surroundings- potential 
competitors- that might challenge her feminine dominance. DL, her closest 
second, eats out of her hand. But Frenesi recognizes her responsibility to 
her sisters, and to the world, er, The World, which she instinctively knows 
is maintained in anything close to a civilized state by women, like her.

It is the responsibility of Alpha Women to find and select alpha men with
whom to mate. Humanity, for as long as its been human, depends on this. 
It is hard wired. In our species, however, in order to reproduce itself, both 
materially and spiritually, it is only the ability of women- every bit as com-
petitive with eachother as men- to overcome their mutual competitiveness, 
which allows civilization to continue. 

Frenesi, god bless her, leads with her pussy, which directs her attention
toward dominant alpha males. Brock, whether anyone wants to admit it, 
is the most dominant male available. Clearly, even with his Lombrosian 
quaintness, his homophobia and his marxist mini-state rubbish, he knows 
the score better than any of the other male characters which are available- 
and she could have any of them, except, maybe, Rex, and he's damaged. 
It's natural that Brock and Frenesi are paired off. Unfortunately, Brock 
doesn't quite measure up to what Frenesi needs or deserves, but given the 
current "stretch of the river" and her equally strong feminine instinct- her 
pussy is her guide- for an ordered world, Brock will have to do. And so she 
does see this, does understand at last, what's required of her- certainly 
"not for him, unhappy fucker" but for her sisters, and for the world, and, 
because this is all TV anyway- especially for buddhists- for the plot of this 
fictional reality.

Hence, the lenses- to dim the shimmering reality behind "the  word"
which only she can see (allowing us vision, as well) but doesn't really
want to see- the flesh is weak- unhappy mother.

She's so heavy, isn't she?

respectfully