VLVL The deal

[Otto]

----- Original Message -----
From: "jbor" <jbor at bigpond.com>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 10:45 PM
Subject: Re: VLVL The deal

> > Btw, it's the cop, Ron, who stands "unobserved in the afternoon
> > shade" -- not Zoyd (304).
>
> Not that it matters one way or another whether Frenesi sees Zoyd
> outside the
> gaol or not -- if she didn't know that Brock had kept Zoyd in a cell
> overnight then you'd think Brock would have made sure she *did* see him
> there next day, and her unwavering "smile" signifies (to me, anyway) that
> she's in control of the situation and satisfied with the outcome -- the
> English syntax definitively identifies Ron, singly, as the one who is
> "unobserved in the afternoon shade" (304). He's there as extra muscle, a
> reminder to Zoyd to behave himself. (If it was intended to apply to Zoyd
> only, or to Zoyd *and* the two cops, then the subordinate clause should
> have gone after either the word "Zoyd" or the word "marshals" --
> if that's the case then it's sloppy writing.)
>

"Before he was to be cut loose, Zoyd had had to stand between
two marshals (*.*) unobserved in the afternoon shade (...)."

I'm really not sure if the English syntax is so definitive here as you
claim. And it's no sloppy writing at all if Pynchon wants to emphasize
that Brock wants to make sure that only Zoyd can see Frenesi
(the smiling Frenesi) but not vice versa. Then it makes perfect sense.

*one of them his assailant, Ron,*

The two cops surely are reminders to Zoyd to behave himself if he wants
to avoid another "nonjudicial motivation," but, a little speculation from my
side now, maybe also to make sure that he's quiet (?), to make sure that
Frenesi doesn't realize how Zyod has been beaten up by the cops. What
else should Brock be afraid of? Zoyd has behaved himself perfectly as
long he's been in custody. Even Ron's first "nonjudicial motivation" was
absolutely unnecessary.

> Zoyd, still holding a candle for Frenesi (306.6-9), kids himself that
> Brock
> alone is behind the deal. We know better, of course, and Sasha understands
> that Brock wants to keep *Frenesi*, not Zoyd, away from Prairie (304-5),
> and
> she is also quietly confident that Frenesi will eventually come to her
> senses and leave Brock (306.1-2).
>
> It's not important in the larger scheme of things whether just Ron, or
> Zoyd
> and the two marshals, are "unobserved in the afternoon shade": it's just
> another quibbling sideshow.

Pretty good argument.

>Brock wants to humiliate Zoyd and demonstrate
> his "custody" of Frenesi, and her willing subservience to him.

Yes.

> Frenesi, for
> her part, is aloof and inscrutable, seemingly quite happy to be escorted
> away by Brock,

Right.

> and quite happy also with the deal which has been made and
> which will prevent her from ever being able to see Prairie again. She
> certainly appears much more in control of herself and the situation than
> we've seen previously, ever since she met up with Brock back in the days
> of 24fps in fact.
>
> best

Speculation without any textual evidence. Where did you get
the information that Frenesi's aware of the real deal? Taking into
account our first encounter with her it more looks like if she's not
at all aware of the situation she's really in and what her future
prospects are when she goes with Brock.

Otto