Ch 15 summary

[kelber at mindspring.com]

If Pynchon likes to bring in his family's history, mightn't trillium be a stand-in for niece Tristan Taormino?

I agree it's odd for Mickey and Shasta to reappear, no thanks to Doc.  What was all the bother about?  If their resurfacing is a metaphor or allusion to some real-life aspect of American politics or pop culture, it's sure as hell lost on me.  It seems that TRP's trying for that "the incomprehensible-plot-to-begin-with thickens" device that Chandler used.  It does seem a more promising turn -- at least the book picked up for me -- but why didn't he bring Prussia in sooner?

Laura

-----Original Message-----
>From: Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net>

>
>Well I don't know if I have much to offer from this chapter. My  
>reaction in my 1st read was something like huh? why is all the action  
>turning away from Mickey and Shasta, did Doc collect on his bet?  
>why's there so much of the book left? The chapter is a turning point  
>where Pynchon points us in a new direction. Last chapter Puck seemed  
>the Vegas version of a midsummer's dream elf , headed off to a life  
>of wedded blisters with the flower girl of anal intercourse. But  
>dreams, names and sentimental  appearance are one thing and deeds,  
>bad habits  and cash money something else;Puck's a killer. Also  
>Bigfoot opens up and spills the beans about  what is happening in the  
>LAPD. So Doc is off and running again but it is harder to see his  
>motivation.
>
>If Pychon is looking back at himself he is seeing a confused but  
>idealistic searcher of unusual density and dogged will .
>
>For me the chapter is more about plot and redirection  and narrative  
>clarity than metaphor or historic reference. I hope others will open  
>doors I am missing.
>
>Below is a summary of the whole chapter. I will repost it in smaller  
>sections as we go through a few pages at a time. Hope it helps jog  
>memories for those who are reading elsewhere in the book.
>
>Ch 15
>
>Summary of chapter events (leaving out the jokes)
>
>Doc returns to Gordita Beach but is strangely disoriented, perhaps by  
>influx of college students, til he  asks someone where he is and  
>recognizes this person as Denis. Denis tells him Shasta is back and  
>staying at Flips place; says Flip’s in Maui. Doc calls Fritz who says  
>Shasta flew into LAX, and also that the FBI can now monitor his  
>computer,  Doc asks about Puck; Fritz too busy to check but offers to  
>introduce Doc to Sparky. Bigfoot calls and is 3rd to announce return  
>of Miss Hepworth.  ( lotta IV comes in bundles of 3, there is  
>something persuasive about 3 witnesses.)
>
>Bigfoot asks about Puck B,  Doc tells him to fuck off.
>  Bigfoot says Noguchi’s look into Blatnoyd’s wounds was blocked or  
>considered unnecessary.
>
>Doc says if they can do it to the famous Noguchi, what cop is safe?
>
>This appears to send Bigfoot into serious psychological distress  at  
>which point his wife, Chastity, intervenes; she  calls Doc Mr. Moral  
>Turpitude and mentions psych bills Doc has cost, starting husband  
>wife squabble…
>Doc lays down phone as she goes on. later falls asleep watching  
>Zombie movie.
>
>Next day Doc  in Wavos  is approached by Shasta, who’s wearing same  
>clothes as before M.W. She seems carefree and shows no memory of  
>postcard though she is wearing an unusual zomelike shell. When he  
>asks where she has been, her answers are followed by question marks
>“Had to go up north? Family stuff?” Shrug… as though she doesn’t  
>really know where she has been.
>Doc asks about Micky
>“Oh that’s all over”
>Ensenada Slim tells Doc Bigfoot is looking for him. Doc slips out  
>back but BF is waiting for him.
>
>Doc gives him  Wyatt Earp Coffee Cup of iffy provenance. BF is touched
>
>This opens a new level of communication between BF and Doc which  
>further on takes a good portion of the chapter and presages coming  
>events and key players and reveals BF’s human motives and the  
>internal powerstruggles and corruption in the LAPD.
>
>BF also mentions a new related killing in Venice - Leonard Jermaine  
>Loosemeat aka El Drano, ex dealer to Coy Harlingen.  Bigfoot tells  
>Doc  to stay away  with apparently heartfelt concern for his safety.  
>( He has now been warned by Puck, Tito, Bigfoot and soon Fritz)
>Doc goes to Drano’s place amid local scurry to recover dope hidden in  
>canal after dredge goes through.
>
>A friend of Loosemeat named Pepe is there playing pool . Doc intro’s  
>self as rep of HULK Heroin User’s Lberation Kollective. Pepe lets Doc  
>know he didn’t like Drano’s association with loansharks collectors  
>etc. because they dealt in pain and forgiveness and traffic with  
>higher levels of command and control where there is no trust or  
>respect or concept of betrayal.  He says it was unlikely though that  
>L was killed by loansharks since he had paid all debts and was  
>getting regular large check , which he (Drano) felt guilty about.  
>Pepe Shows Doc  the check which is from Mickey’s bank with   
>unreadable signature.
>Doc says check could be donated to HULK’s save a rock&roller fund  
>which stems from concern over rash of od’d rockers like Coy Harlingen.
>Mention of Coy causes noticeable chill. Doc wonders if Drano’s  
>remorse over giving full strength heroin to Coy  led to his being  
>killed to prevent confession. The question of who might do that leads  
>him to start looking at Adrian Prussia.
>Fritz tlls Doc Adrian Prussia is extra bad shit anymore, that he cut  
>deal with people higher up and works for them  doing bad shit with  
>seeming immunity suggesting Police corruption/protection.
>
>Doc goes to waste a perp shooting range hoping to find Bigfoot who is  
>there. They go to a bar then on walk, and Doc asks why Bigfoot is  
>putting him in danger to check out Puck Beaverton. Bigfoot says  
>sensitive territory and Doc says get over it and lay cards out which  
>BF does.
>We find that Puck worked for AP and killed BF’s  partner and walked  
>because  it was probably ordered from higher in Dept or higher yet.  
>Also turns out that APrussia  has walked on several killings and may  
>be a contract killer working for people in Internal Affairs  
>department of LAPD.
>
>They part in Puck Beaverton’s neighborhood.
>
>  We find that Bigfoot has been withholding a lot of information but  
>so has Doc and  it is interesting that only by withholding  
>information does Doc get information.
>
>
>
>