Atdtda23: [46.1i] A passionate heart, 653

[kelber at mindspring.com]

I take Pynchon to mean that the reclining figure is natural.  Nature in itself, is hardly benevolent towards humans (and vice versa).  The Odalisque of the Snows is similarly natural and malevolent to the "post godhead" pillars of rock in the Utah desert.

"'You think they're alive?'
'Been out there at night?'
'Not if I could help it.'"  (ATD, p. 209)

Laura

-----Original Message-----
>From: David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>

>
>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.
>>
>>