P-Lit>GR!

[kelber at mindspring.com]

If we put them the books in chronological order in terms of subject matter(something which doesn't make much sense in Pynchon's universe -- certainly not the one portrayed in ATD):

M&D
ATD
GR
V
COL49
VL

there doesn't seem to be any natural progression in terms of theme, i.e., we're not getting a straightforward history of the western world or anything like that.  There's a theme in M&D, ATD, COL and VL of the perils of civilization imposing borders or order of any kind on nature, but I don't think this carries through in GR and V, other than in the theme of technology usurping humanity.  On second thought ...

Laura

-----Original Message-----
>From: Ian Livingston <igrlivingston at yahoo.ca>
>Sent: Apr 24, 2008 1:09 PM
>To: Bekah <Bekah0176 at sbcglobal.net>
>Cc: pynchon -l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>Subject: Re: P-Lit>GR!
>
>It all begins with V.  All the books allude back to V. somewhere in their chapters.  I think the V motif / metaphor is fundamental to TRP's game.  I'm just starting to follow the perspectives, but it seems to fit, somehow.  As if V were lead and mercury, GR the forge (oven), etc....  (I'm still re-reading.)  An alchemical thing.  I keep coming back to the conclusion of AtD as a purification of sorts, an arrival at some sublime state where it's okay just to be sort of common, somehow.  That the true gold, the philosopher's stone is no big deal.  Just open hands entering the marketplace (as per the Zen ox-herding pictures) where people chop wood, carry water.  But I must emphasize that I do not think we are observing from within this perspective.  Rather I think we are observing what this perspective looks like objectively.  And allow me the pun, GR soars when I view it in these terms.
>
>----- Original Message ----
>From: Bekah <Bekah0176 at sbcglobal.net>
>To: Ian (Hank Kimble) Scuffling <scuffling at gmail.com>
>Cc: P-list Liste <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 4:47:41 PM
>Subject: Re: P-Lit>GR!
>
>I personally find GR well written and interesting in some places but, still,  a tad offensive.   That said,  I  absolutely loooooorrve The Crying of Lot 49,  Vineland,  M&D and Against the Day.   I've not read V.  I've read Slow Learner and find it somewhat  dated - important probably in understanding the early development of TRP.   M&D is my favorite with TCoL49 a very close second. -  AtD is the culmination of an oeuvre.  (just my o)
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>Bekah-the-Brave
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>On Apr 22, 2008, at 10:42 AM, Ian (Hank Kimble) Scuffling wrote:
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>OMG!  It never occurred to me before that there might  be people who
>appreciated other works by Pynchon, but didn't "enjoy Gravity's
>Rainbow.
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>Anyone else care to admit it?
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>AsB4,
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>Henry
>-- 
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>On 4/22/08, grladams
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>I never really enjoyed Gravity's Rainbow, but I'm halfway thinking of
>jointing--oops I mean joining this seminar just to see some people in
>realtime about Pynchon. <snip>
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> homepage.mac.com/bekker2/Menu40.html
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