ATDTDA (5.1) - The Etienne-Louis Malus

[Monte Davis]

Robin:

>>I'm sure we'll get into more detail, but the
>>"Vormance Expedition" is Pynchon's vision of 9/11, moved into the
>>time zone and period ambience of Against the Day.
>>
I'm with you that the *destruction of the city* has no other resonance 
nearly as loud as 9/11, but I'm not sure that extends to the expedition 
itself -- which as davemarc says, owes more to Shelley, Poe, and Lovecraft.

Whatever we (or for that matter Al Qaeda or the conspiracy buff on the 
corner) may advance as the "causes of" or "reasons  for" 9/11, I don't 
see how they map to "scientists dig up and bring home an ancient 
artifact, suggestive of pre- or non-human origin,  that they should have 
left untouched."