VLVL characters (was Re: Which side is he on?

[Toby G Levy]

Jbor,

You wrote: 
"I don't agree that Pynchon's characters can be reduced to such a
simplistic
schema. Using the text we're supposedly reading as a lithmus, Frenesi,
for
instance, betrays her friends and causes death and despair so that she
can
enhance her own sexual enjoyment. Conversely, Hector is shown to be
constantly looking out for Zoyd's interests, as when he has called Sasha
to
come and look after Prairie when Zoyd is about to be arrested (295). I'm
not
sure whether she or he is meant to be "bad" or "good" according to the
model
you've invented, but I do find Hector likable for the most part, and I
find
some of Frenesi's actions pretty reprehensible."

I think Pynchon presents Frenesi in a completely reprehensible manner. 
There is nothing good about her.  Her involvement in the movement before
she flipped is presented fairly clearly as self-indulgence.  Hector on
the other hand is portrayed as being insane. In Pynchon bad characters
who happen to be insane often perform acts of kindness.  This does not
mitigate the harm they do to other people.

I agree with you that Prarie is pivotal and Pynchon doesn't "thow his lot
in 100% with any character,"  but I insist that he writes in such a way
as to make certain charcters much more likeable than others and this
reveals a moral focus that is clearly left leaning if we may broadly
interpret "left" as being sympathetic to the poor and powerless.

Toby

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!