ATDTDA (33) - p. 942 chick lit?

[kelber at mindspring.com]

One of the focuses of ATD seems to be that cusp where anarchism, mysticism, idealism, pure math, indigenous cultures are waylaid by nationalism, jingoism, militarism, borders, railroads, the modern state, etc.  Quaternions beget the Q-weapon.  By the time we get to WWII (GR), math is all about military control.  Maybe Kit and Yashmeen's abandonment of math stems from a horror of what math is becoming.

Laura

-----Original Message-----
>From: Paul Mackin <paul.mackin at verizon.net>

>
>Michael Bailey wrote:
>> Laura wrote:
>>   
>>> p. 942:  "It was her old need for some kind of transcendence ..."
>>>
>>>  Where's the multi-layered, enigmatic TRP in this paragraph?  This explicit rendering of what's going on in Yashmeen's mind seems to be more in the realm of "chick lit."  An homage?  Or is Pynchon just off his game here?
>>>
>>>     
>>
>> the dismissive tone brings to mind Neville & Nigel,
>> when we first meet her -
>> "Oh it's only old Yashmeen"
>>
>> Might I suggest that Yashmeen, like so many of us, despite
>> a vision (the roulette system) that provides her and Reef and Cyprian
>> the means of living well, is here dismissing the visionary or transcendent.
>>
>> There is both tragedy and comedy in this book, and I think
>> one of the biggest tragedies is Yashmeen (and Kit) abandoning
>> their pursuit of math.  Not that I blame them...
>>
>>   
>
>If it were the pursuit of math as math, that would be one thing.
>
>But Yashmeen's pursuit of math-as-transcendence is another thing 
>entirely isn't it?
>
>Isn't math for Yashmeen just one more Pynchonian madness, obsession, 
>paranoia, desire to control?
>
>Not that there is anything wrong with control.
>
>Control in pursuit of schools not falling down (Kit's kind and what 
>China lacked) is good.
>
>Control in pursuit of universal world justice is madness.
>
>I'm laying in on Yashmeen a little thick, I know.
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