ATDTDA (15): Roswell's bounce, 425-427

[Paul Nightingale]

It offers the façade of a 'free' market and competition. The Vibe  Corp has
stolen knowledge, the capacity to produce the Hypops, erasing Roswell from
its history as capitalism attempts to erase labour generally. Roswell can
operate on a modest level, a form of resistance. Perhaps knowledge of this
route is built into Higher Authority's insistence that "no further
expenditure ... will be approved" (425). Professor Vanderjuice, who can
connections to Vibe himself, first mentions Roswell, and only then refers to
the Vibe monopoly. If the Chums were to be expected to deal with Vibe
(inferred from this reference to their monopoly), then why mention Roswell
at all? That "though" in the middle of his speech gets in the way.


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org] On Behalf
Of Dave Monroe

I thought it (possibly) interesting that Pynchon went to the trouble
to mention that "the Vibe organization, which claims a monopoly,
won't, I fear, be flexible about the price," then have Roswell Bounce
"feel no hesitation about beating their prices," THEN mention "a
surprisingly reasonable club price ... with an additional discount for
cash payment" (which one I would think would expect any, "cash"
putting the "C." in "C.O.D.," but ...).  One of many details that
snagged my attention here, though this one perhaps for being so
mundane, rather than outré.