VLVL2 (15): Somebody Must Have Known Better

[Dave Monroe]

"They had both been content to leave it that way, to
go along in a government-defined history without
consequences, never imagining it could end, turn out
to be only another Reaganite dream on the cheap, some
snoozy fantasy about kindly character actors in FBI
suits staked out all night long watching over every
poor scraggly sheep in the herd it was their job to
run, the destined losers whose only redemption would
have to come through their usefulness to the State
law-enforcment apparatus, which was calling itself
'America,' though somebody must have known better."
(VL, Ch. 15, p. 354)


"a government-defined history without consequences"

Vs. ...

"only another Reaganite dream on the cheap"

Compare 'n' contrast ...


"some snoozy fantasy"

Cf. ...

"It was disheartening to see how much he depended on
these Tubal fantasies about his profession,
relentlessly pushing their propaganda message of
cops-are-only-human-got-to-do-their-job, turning
agents of government repression into sympathetic
heroes.  Nobody thought it was peculiar anymore, no
more than the routine violations of constitutional
rights these characters performed week after week, now
absorbed into the vernacular of American expectations.
 Cop shows were in a genre right-wing weekly TV Guide
called Crime Drama ...." (VL, Ch. 15, p. 345)

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0405&msg=90788


"kindly character actors"

Character actor

A character actor is an actor who predominantly
performs supporting parts, often in similar roles
throughout the course of a career. While many actors
aspire to "leading man" or "leading lady" status, many
notable actors have had enduring careers in less
prominent, but important and memorable roles.
 
Stereotypically, character actors lack some of the
physical attributes associated with "stars". A
character actor may be very short, extremely tall,
heavy, thin, balding, or simply
unconventional-looking. Many older actors and
actresses find their access to lead roles limited by
age as well. Some character actors simply have
distinctive voices or foreign accents which limit
their suitability for most leading roles. Some
character actors have specific talents that are
required in genre films, such as horsemanship or
swimming ability. Many up-and-coming actors simply
find themselves typecast in character roles due to an
early success with a particular part or in a certain
genre.

Many character actors have, however, gained star
status and have become widely known "lead" actors.
Other character actors have developed a "cult"
following with a particular audience as well. A
hallmark of many great character actors is that their
names are not widely known yet they are instantly
recognizable as familiar faces on the screen....

http://www.fact-index.com/c/ch/character_actor.html

E.g., ...

http://www.dougmacaulay.com/kingspud/sel_by_actor_index_1.php

http://www.boo-blog.com/home/2003/11/character_actor_1.html


"destined losers"

Preterite
Calvinist/Puritan doctrine of the Elect (the chosen)
and the Preterite (the passed-over, the damned);
"second sheep" ...

http://www.hyperarts.com/pynchon/gravity/alpha/p-q.html

p. 354 "...the destined losers whose only redemption
would have to come through their usefulness to the
State law-enforcement apparatus, which was calling
itself 'America,' though somebody must have known
better."   This describes Frenesi and Flash, though it
could also describe the larger preterite population of
the novel. "...law enforcement apparatus...calling
itself America..." underscores Pynchon's cold fury at
the process via which Frenesi/America falls for the
lies of the fascists.

http://www.mindspring.com/~shadow88/chapter15.htm


"the State law-enforcement apparatus"

Aagin, see ...

Althusser, Louis.  "Ideology and Ideological State
   Apparatuses: Notes Towards an Investigation."
   Lenin and Philosophy.  London: New Left Books,
1971.
   New York: Monthly Review Press, 1978.  127-186.

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0405&msg=90788


"calling itself 'America'"

Cf. ...

"There either was some Tristero beyond the appearance
of the legacy America, or there was just America and
if there was just America then it seemed the only way
she could continue ... was as an alien, unfurrowed,
assumed full circle into some paranoia." (Lot 49, p.
182)


"somebody must have known better"

Cf. ...

"... working cops like Hector who should have known
better." (VL, Ch. 15, p. 345)


	
		
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