ATDTDA (3) Dynamitic mania, 80-86

[Paul Mackin]

On Mar 2, 2007, at 4:47 AM, Monte Davis wrote:

>> I do rather disagree with the contention that AtD draws the  reader
>> INto story. Relative to GR perhaps it does.  But making any real
>> effort at drawing the reader IN, making him  care very much about
>> what happens to  the characters,  isn't  IMO the way  Pynchon works.
>
> By and large, no -- but sometimes I think it's creeping up on him.  
> Or me.
>
> In M&D, I wanted those two to appreciate what their friendship was  
> becoming
> more than I'd wanted anything for P characters before, even Roger &  
> Jessica.
> In AtD, Cyprian and Dally move me as deeply as most  of the central
> characters in contemporary fiction; more than any of the Traverse  
> siblings,
> who are given less "autonomy" in their round of Follow Four Fates.  
> Yashmeen
> gets very little interiority at all -- not that there's anything  
> wrong with
> that.
>
I can see it for the couples Roger/Jessica and Cyprian/Yash, but  
Mason/Dixon tend  to fail me emotionally.  So much of the back-and- 
forth between these actual historic persons seems like an operatic  
duet. I feel the music more than the human beings making it. Dally  
succeeds in turning me off a little, so I guess that makes her a   
relatively strong character. Did others find her precociousness and  
smart-aleck remarks annoying? I could change my  mind with further,  
more careful reading I'm sure.