ATDDTA (3): Control issues, Chums, They

[David Morris]

On 2/19/07, robinlandseadel at comcast.net <robinlandseadel at comcast.net> wrote:
> As far as I can tell, Pynchon has always taken sides. The whole "Keep Cool but care" stance has a lot more to do with providing the finer points of how to survive as a rebel---a freak, using language that the author just might identify with hisself---how to continue to "kick against the pricks" while reducing the chances of getting caught by "the man", than it has to do with calling these various movements "failures", or pointing out specific faliures of the left.

I tend to agree with your stance that Pynchon does champion (take
sides?) with kooky rebels, folks living beneath the radar in pursuit
of their dreams, which just might be illegal.  But I've never thought
of that as "Anarchism."  I think of Anarchism as an unrealizable
ideal, and underground existence as an acknowledgement of that fact.

> I don't think the author considers leftest activism as a failure but as a constant, necessary, struggle.

I agree again, but I think Monte's sentiment of "Pynchon brings to
life tough questions that may not have answers" isn't contrary to your
statement.  His activism in GR isn't frontal assault on Them, it's
taking out the carburetor of that tractor in the woods:  "Keep Cool
but Care" is a small scale underground resistance.  It seems to me
that any character who mounts a "street action" or any frontal asault
on Them end up as martrys, a choice hardly championed by Pynchon, but
maybe admired.

David Morris