Thomas Pynchon exploits history for his own selfish ends

robinlandseadel at comcast.net robinlandseadel at comcast.net
Thu Sep 25 11:36:02 CDT 2008


         Tim Strzechowski:
         "By the way, I'm still NOT ready to read all of Proust ..."

For G-d's sake, read the Lydia Davis translation of "Swann's Way,"
if nothing else:

          ". . . .But suddenly it was as though she had appeared in the 
          room, and this apparition caused him such harrowing pain 
          that he had to put his hand on his heart. What had happened 
          was that the violin had risen to a series of high notes on which 
          it lingered as though waiting for something, holding on to them 
          in a prolonged expectancy, in the exaltation of already seeing 
          the object of its expectation approaching, and with a desperate 
          effort to try to endure until it arrived, to welcome it before 
          expiring, to keep the way open for it another moment with a last 
          bit of strength so that it could come through, as one holds up a 
          trapdoor that would otherwise fall back. And before Swann had 
          time to understand, and say to himself: "It's the little phrase from 
          the sonata by Vinteuil; don't listen!" as his memories of the time 
          when Odette was in love with him, which he had managed until 
          now to keep out of sight in the deepest part of himself, deceived 
          by this sudden beam of light from the time of love which they 
          believed had returned, had awoken and flown swiftly back up to 
          sing madly to him, with no pity for his present misfortune, the 
          forgotten refrains of happiness. . . ."
          op. cit., page 358 

BTW, Joyce's "Ulysses" hasn't kicked in yet, not in these quarters at least.



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