Vond /charm

[Ian Livingston]

I think the "spirit of darkness" is represented by several characters
in the novel.  Darkness in Jung, like water, stone and a number of
other seemingly innocent factors of being, including also 'mother',
refer loosely to the "shadow" or unconscious aspect of the self.  Part
of what I think I'm seeing here is the loose interpretation of the
entire conflict and resolution in Vineland as metaphorical of the
'self'.  In a loose way, each of the characters might be viewed as
allusions to aspects of a dominant monad.

When the opposites of darkness and light are conjoined, both are
negated and we are left with a puzzle of truly Tibetan complexity.  It
is possible (likely) to self-destruct in the act of
self-aggrandizement.  The more greedily the darkness reaches into the
light, the more it is negated, sort of thing.

So, yes, I read  Vond's downfall as caused by both external and
internal factors.  The budgetary plug that gets pulled in Washington
is one of the factors of the graying of Brock.  The rest is his own
(un)doing.

Of course, I could be way off the beaten track and beating around in
the dark ol' redwood forest at night (a stupid human trick we used to
enjoy practicing in youth), but I think it is a profitable way to view
the novel.

-i


On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 12:39 PM, rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:
> I think this is all valid, Ian but isn't Vond reduced to a ghost of
> himself (beyond the karmic adjustment journey he takes) by, in part,
> the simple fact of his funding being pulled by bureaucrats back in
> Washington, those dreaded Reagan budget cuts?
>
> Indirectly by his actions he "brings" the family together though we
> all know it's not a realy joyous gathering for the most part. But
> we're left with the notion that at least there's a chance that they'll
> be able to at least talk to each other and air things out, who knows?
>
> rich
>
> On 3/24/09, Ian Livingston <igrlivingston at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Jung also notes that, "On the other hand... it is possible for man to
>> attain totality, to become whole, only with the co-operation of the
>> spirit of darkness, indeed that the latter is actually a causa
>> instrumentalis of redemption in and individuation.....  if we want to
>> overcone the power of darkness, we must turn his own weapons against
>> him...."
>>
>> So, if Brock is representative of the "spirit of darkness" and his
>> weapons are seduction (Frenesi), distraction (the murder of Weed),
>> confusion (the mixed messages of his movie productions) -- how does
>> all that get turned against him in the end?  He is seduced after a
>> manner into his pursuit of Prairie, but then my memory starts to
>> challenge me (I confess I moved on to M&D and am now halfway through
>> my second read of AtD) but I think the evidence is there, no?
>>
>> And is he, then, somehow responsible for the integration of the
>> several members of the cast at the denouement?
>>
>>
>