ATDTDA (14): Look into it, see things, 391-392

[Paul Nightingale]

Frank has given himself over to being led by El Espinero, who earlier asked
"permission" to travel with him but, at the same time, indicated Frank "may
find something you have been looking for" (390). The previous section ended
with the joke about Frank's "small-well, medium-size-log", and the context
is colonisation, ie penetration/subjugation by a foreign power. Given the
way he confuses the two Estrellas, one cannot say with certainty which of
them has inspired his erection; so the concept of intrusion takes in
feelings he might have for "the other Estrella, Reef's sweetheart".
Throughout, Frank has been standing in for Ewball, the Indians' saviour.
This is another role he has been forced/persuaded to adopt, and El Espinero
wasted no time in drawing attention to Estrella's role in this phase of
Frank's career: "She is searching for a new man now ." etc. At this time the
reader knows, but Frank doesn't, that Reef has left Stray, so both women
have been separated from their men. Earlier Frank was revealed as ignorant
when Dwayne told him Ellmore and Bob thought he was the Kid (383); and now
his ignorance is emphasised when he wonders about the birth of Jesse (390).

In the current section Frank "allow[s] himself at last to be swallowed by,
rather than actively penetrating, the immemorial mystery of these mountains"
(391). The phrasing here indicates passivity, a go-with-the-flow strategy,
as if he can deny any agency imputed to him. And then that AtD trick, the
fast-forward: "A couple of years later, when he ran into Ewball again and
told him about this ."

The conversation with Ewball follows the "message" he receives about Sloat
(cf. "the short, intense dreams" of Deuce on 377, confirmation that Frank is
on the wrong track, that he won't be forced to act); and Ewball subsequently
predicts (or speculates about) the death of Deuce (392). If Frank is to kill
Deuce, then he will have succeeded where his brother has failed, a double
victory of sorts. When "deep inside [the] cavern", the language of coercion
is pretty clear: the "queer luminescence") forces Frank ("... couldn't avoid
thinking") to see "as much as he had to" (391).