C of L 49: "That's how it is..most of the time."

[Rob Jackson]

Fallopian at this point isn't yet anywhere near as unlikeable as he  
becomes later on in the narrative, and I think I've always taken the  
substance of this letter and the bitterness which "Mike" expresses  
about the inanity of the W.A.S.T.E. communiques he receives, along  
with Metzger's incredulity towards him and the burgeoning cabal, to  
reflect a satiric impulse on Pynchon's part. Perhaps, though, the  
satire is directed towards the specific clique/s - Yoyodyne (i.e.,  
Boeing) workers, science-y and tech-y types, anarcho-radicals, et al.  
- and those two characters, rather than the "principle" of  
communicating "sub rosa" ... yes, the "social cement" idea seems to be  
a valid and pertinent one.

It's remarkable how detached, non-judgemental and research-oriented  
Oedipa is in this scene too. It's only gradually that she starts to  
lose it.

with best regards


On 11/07/2009, at 1:07 AM, pynchon-l-digest wrote:

> Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:07:17 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Mark Kohut <markekohut at yahoo.com>
> Subject: C of L 49: "That's how it is..most of the time."
>
> Suddenly, never noticed (by me) before, this exchange seems
> to portray the necessity of 'small talk", that 'social cement'
> [as one sociologist called it] to keep the(a) community going.
>
>>     "It's the principle," Fallopian agreed,
>> sounding defensive. "To
>>     keep it up to some kind of a reasonable
>> volume, each member
>>     has to send at least one letter a week
>> through the Yoyodyne
>>     system. If you don't, you get fined." He
>> opened his letter and
>>     showed Oedipa and Metzger.
>>
>>     Dear Mike, it said, how are you? Just
>> thought I'd drop you a
>>     note. How's your book coming? Guess
>> that's all for now. See
>>     you at The Scope.
>>
>>     "That's how it is," Fallopian confessed
>> bitterly, "most of the time."