VLVL the collapse of the Youth Movement

[Bandwraith at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/22/04 4:45:26 PM, jbor at bigpond.com writes:

<< Frenesi's motive is that she likes Brock's cock so much, and she'd do
anything to have it. And that's precisely how she tries to excuse her
actions -- "you know what happens when my pussy's runnin' the show." >>

    That's a pretty weak case against Frenesi, but it begins to turn the
    focus on Brock.

    "even thanatoid Weed, in denial as he is, recognizes that Frenesi
    is not guilty."

<< I don't think this is the case at all. Is there anything in the text to
support this...? >>

    We'll get there.

    "Notice that Weed does not exonerate Vond; nor does the
    author."

<< Of course not. Brock is manipulative and vengeful and he abuses his
position. Frenesi willingly does his dirty work. >>

    *Willingly*? If she's so willing, then why does he need to manipulate 
    and abuse her? Or do you think- she's abusing him?

    "The text is multi-leveled but you would seem desperate to collapse it 
    to only a single literal and legalistic plane where you can judge both it 
    and Frenesi. No wonder you were so disappointed with the novel."

<< Like many other readers, I think it's Pynchon's weakest text -- the
comparison Dave made to Tom Robbins is apt -- and it's not a patch on other
American novels which came out at around the same time -- DeLillo's _White
Noise_, Gaddis' _A Frolic of His Own_, or Updike's _Memories of the Ford
Administration_, for example. Frenesi's betrayal of her friends and family
and the Youth Movement is meant to be the shocking and appalling climax of
the text -- I don't think it quite works for a number of reasons, not least
of which is the problem that the character of Frenesi is far from believable
or sympathetic... 

 ...but the fact that readers such as yourself try so hard to resist the 
stark 
depiction of Frenesi's betrayals actually renders it a more effective work 
than 
I had previously thought >>

    It's no sweat, really. And it's sure alot easier than all the work I 
    have to do to keep my "vintage" tupperware and stash 'a frozen 
    danishes away from the hook of the repo men! I don't get it: There's 
    a shiny new porsche sittin' next to an all but deserted beach pad-
    just axkin' for the hook- and they're all but oblivious!? It must be
    that department store I bought 'em at. Those dudes have real
    noses for class.

    Since _Vineland_ ranks so low in your opinion, I guess the effort
    you're putting in around these parts must be for the company,
    Hm? Or maybe you just don't think you're working hard.

    
respectfully