Even paranoiacs have enemies

[Michael Bailey]

Paranoia, of course, is a major theme in GR

I like the way Pynchon plays with the idea - the pointing hands (which
reminds me of that same convention in some old books I read as a kid,
tho I can't remember the titles) with the middle finger outstretched
(tangentially, it would have been cool if he'd been able to use Porky
Pig images for the section breaks, as I read somewhere he wanted to)

the statements that stayed with me the strongest were:
"in a paranoid system, everything fits" -
and "he's not sure he wouldn't rather have that purpose"
neither of which I can place atm
(but looking forward to running across them in context)

The author of the article you cited seems to have tried to base a
futuristic novel on extrapolations of observable surveillance today - 
I thought in reading this, that a good novel needn't be set in the
future (witness GR, though I was specifically thinking about Vineland
(the Pynchon novel that most so far has touched my heart): published
in 1990 but set in 1984.  Literature is news that stays news (quoth
Ezra Pound from his cell at St Veronica's - er, St Elizabeth's)

Knipfel's main character was to be someone who tried to become
un-surveilled (by more stringent measures than Mr Pynchon has taken) -
that would actually be more workable set in the past or present
anyway.  There are anarchists I've read about who dumpster dive etc
and live off the grid who attain a high level of anonymity (which they
forfeit if they become involved in politics), and I actually have met
some people like that in my travels.  One guy said he liked not having
ID because he could be anybody he wanted to be.  Illegal immigrants, I
imagine, have a high level of anonymity.
But ultimately being a known quantity is a big part of life.  Even if
you live in a hobo camp there are people who recognize you, and most
likely you are glad they do.

The way this ties in with GR, I think, is that paranoia arises when
the knowing relationship isn't mutual or personal.  "We were never
that concerned with Slothrop qua Slothrop"
Slothrop knows that They know a lot about him, yet he doesn't know
much about Them.  Yet his quest is somewhat paranoid: instead of
trying for more interaction with Them (which would lead to his knowing
more about Them), he avoids Them. Perhaps he fears interaction under
Their terms (BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HABIT OF DROPPING ORDINANCE ON PEOPLE
AND CASTRATING THEM?)

I've resolved to look at Norman O Brown for a better take on
Slothrop's sexual adventures; but equally interesting would be an
exploration of the sources of knowledge he chooses over direct
communication with Them (leaving the Casino as he does)

The part near the end where the youthful superheroes are unable to
complete their quest: does it indicate Pynchon's scorn for all these
alternate visions, after all?  (thinking of Hector's advice to Zoyd:
get a haircut, get a job, get married - and again Hector's question
for Zoyd: who was saved?)  Slothrop (I think, wisely) leaves the party
where Pointsman has been shown to have plans for very bad treatment of
him...but do his ramblings thereafter lead to anything worthwhile? 
Taking off at an angle from the actual plot, what if Slothrop bonded
with Dodson-Truck, and managed to persuade Pointsman to forgo the
negative reinforcement (Pointsman is malleable, he settled for an
octopus against his wishes, didn't he?) --

(spoiler? ahead)

I was thinking of the place where Slothrop sees a rainbow and weeps
"not a thought in his head" (like Pirate peeing at the very beginning)
as being some kind of a "yes, the trip was necessary"


8/05, Otto <ottosell at yahoo.de> wrote:
> THEY'RE WATCHING US
> Even paranoiacs have enemies.
>
> By Jim Knipfel
> "Not to compare myself to the great William Gaddis, but his goal when he
> set out to write  The Recognitions was quite similar: he wanted to
> reveal every level of artificiality and fakery that was running rampant
> in American society. But he quickly learned, there was just too much. It
> was overwhelming. He did what he could, but I found it impossible."
> http://www.nypress.com/18/52/news&columns/jim%20Knipfel.cfm
>
>
>
>
>
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--
"Acceptance, forgiveness, love - now that's a philosophy of life!"
-Woody Allen, as Broadway Danny Rose