AtD 146 lines (spoiled)

[Jasper Fidget]

I sent this this morning but there appears to have been a network
disturbance.  Sorry if duplicating.

------- Forwarded Message --------
> To: Pynchon-L <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Subject: AtD 146 lines (spoiled)
> Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:19:41 -0500
> 

"lines
The description of the single-file line at the train station basically
describes current security conditions at American airports. A single
line (i.e. linear thinking) does not seem to be a 'positive' in the
Pynchon world."

http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_119-148#Page_146

Which makes sense, but then how to fully understand the opening line of
the book (line one, a single line in length) -- "Now single up all
lines!" -- commonly interpreted as, to quote Quail, "simultaneously a
self-directive and a call to the reader; suggesting that Against the Day
is a culmination of his previous work, and also charging the reader to
find meaning within its twisting labyrinth."  Does P intend to reduce
his work to "linear thinking"?  Or is this an ominous opening for AtD,
the beginning of a linearity motif?  Is the urge to tie everything
together a trap, a pitfall for the reader?  Are the Chums the agency of
singling up all lines throughout the book?  Is singling up all lines a
positive thing or a negative thing (or both, as with so much else in
this book)?

Sorry, Dave, if I'm trying to step on your hosting toes here -- the
group read is just too far away!