Narrative Distance "the price of developing any real life shared with an adult woman" (SL.10)

[alice wellintown]

We want to like Doc. The narrative technique and the use of
characterization and all the other elements of fiction that surround
Doc make him a protagonist we want to like. Other reasons, like
sympathy and empathy and indentification are not reasons to like or
dislike a character in a Pynchon novel. But we need to see that he is
no Native Son and this is no protest novel. This is a parody and Doc,
while the central Bigger Thomas figure, is an ironic figure and the
satire turns on our understaning this fact.


On Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 7:20 PM, Monte Davis<montedavis at verizon.net> wrote:
> alice wellintown sez:
>
>> We need to read Doc as a target of harsh satire.
>
> But of course. One of Pynchon's Dantean traits is his pitilessness, even
> toward those we (and he) might simultaneously admire, or sympathize with, or
> be.
>
>