ATD vs. V.? Overcoding or metaphor?

[David Patty]

What do you kids make of Pynchon's return to the Shaver-esque hollow earth
theory in 'ATD'?

Re-reading 'V.' (7:VIII) I was surprised to note that he'd discussed it
before, albeit peripherally.  It's for entirely different purposes in 'ATD'
than in 'V.', I think; *cf.* the Chums of Chance's 'shortcut' through the
hollow earth, fending off Deros (cementing the association w/ Shaver),
trying to escape out the other side before man's total exploration of earth
invalidates yet-another fictional possibility***, whereas in 'V.' Vheissu
seems to have been posited as merely one more theory for the soup, something
to spice up the confusion.

* Pynchon's commentary on hard SF eroding scientifiction?  Singling up all
lines / narrowing down of potentials / psychic thermodynamism in-action, if
you'll pardon the pun... Also, *cf.* this allegorical technique w/ Michael
Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius.

What do you-all think?  Did Pynchon see something unexplored in the idea and
re-visit it, or--  as a certain wag on The Fictional Woods might suggest
--did he forget having written about it altogether & decide to tackle it
anew?  Not that anything's ever either/or...
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