Zoyd

[Tore Rye Andersen]

Laura:
 
> Slothrop's not the first character introduced, and he cedes a huge amount 
> of page time to the huge cast of supporting characters. He's the protagonist, 
> though [...]. Because he's such a strong protagonist, we can afford to spend 
> time with the supporting characters, returning to him as a safe haven when 
> things get too confusing. 
 
Which is why it still seems so disturbing when Slothrop simply dissolves towards
the end. I've read GR more than ten times, and I still really can't get over
the fact that our safe haven is taken away from us. Slothrop's dispersal
seems so radical BECAUSE he's such a strong protagonist, as you rightly
point out. The trick wouldn't have worked so well and the shock wouldn't
have been so great in AtD, which has nothing BUT supporting characters.
 
Slothrop, incidentally, remains my favourite of all Pynchon's characters.
_________________________________________________________________
More than messages–check out the rest of the Windows Live™.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/