Atdtda23: [46.1i] A passionate heart, 653

[David Morris]

I'm unclear about which of Pynchon's objects you think is a natural
one.  The Vormance-encountered object doesn't seem a natural one.
It's never clearly described, but it is distinguishable as different
from its surroundings, vaguely anthropomorphic:

"The Figure appeared to recline on its side, an Odalisque of the
snows" (141:29).

It's as if it's some sort of ancient Titan, purposely entombed in the
snow, meant to be kept there for the safety of the earth's present
inhabitants, thus malevolent (unlike the 2001 slab).  So it's not
clearly "natural" and very possibly "placed."  Not so very different -
at least not clearly so.

David Morris


On Dec 14, 2007 10:27 AM,  <kelber at mindspring.com> wrote:
> In 2001, the object was deliberately placed.  Pynchon's is a natural, indigenous object -- very different.
>
> Laura
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>
> >The quality that rocks possess that makes them "living" is their longevity, their relative permanence in comparison to our fleeting lives.  The object/visitor of the Vormance Expedition sat in place, undisturbed, for eons, probably even before the advent of humans on the earth.  This meme isn't new.  It was very explicit in Kubric's 2001, only there the object was more benevolent.
>
>