"straightworld"

[alice wellintown]

John Bailey,

> I'm still harping on about how P twists that common vernacular to
> connote something else surrounding geometry (or psychogeometry) and
> the reduction of dimensions in IV, mind.


I think that Math & Science in P's fictions are always satirized.
Like Grover Snood, the boy genius in "The Secret Integration" trying
to figure out a mathamatical integration formula, but not quite mature
enough to comprehend racism and integration of the real estate in his
neighborhood. Also, notice that Grover is addicted to Tom Swift books
and can't stop reading them even though he has figured out that they
are promoting racial stereotypes and the subjugation of blacks by
whites.

My favorite Pynchon story. I'm a sucker for anything he takes from
Twain or James or Melville. I wish he would edit it. Cut out and clean
up the McAfee surreal stuff and re-issue it. It and VL are the only
Pynchon I teach.