rubrics (I like that word), wrecking crews and hugfests

[Mark Kohut]

A...And...........

Dishonest Wood, as JC rightly labels his latest Pynchon slam, sez in TRP's latest works----since GR? as Laura noticed he did not include as one worth reading!!!---he uses his characters for "juvenile vaudeville".

Laura and Rich, Pynchon angels (in general) also found jokes and scenes in Inherent Vice juvenile. Because, as at least Laura argued, they were not thematic contrast/counterpoint to huge dark themes. (If I have not stated the case properly, flame me about it, Laura and Rich). THAT seems to me right about IV.

Gotta recount from my GR reread: the gross-out, nausea-inducing, most awful "food" combos scene between Pig Bodine and Roger Mexico late in GR: remember?, menstrual marmalade, snot sandwich and worse, worse.......

pure juvenile vaudeville, right, but what should not be forgotten is that THEY ESCAPE with this game......that's part of TRPs point, ain't it?....from a Mnemosnyme Goomba (or whatever is the last name) and an earnest English politico as two whom they gross out............. 

Pynchon skewers Wood here, via time travel, I say not literally---Mnemosyne,memory [of all those realistic English novels he loves]and earnest old-fashioned political/literary correctness are Wood.

Pynchon always knew that ain't ever all. 



--- On Wed, 11/25/09, Carvill, John <john.carvill at sap.com> wrote:

> From: Carvill, John <john.carvill at sap.com>
> Subject: RE: rubrics (I like that word), wrecking crews and hugfests
> To: "kelber at mindspring.com" <kelber at mindspring.com>, "pynchon-l at waste.org" <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2009, 8:05 AM
> Seems the p-list is splitting into
> two versions of itself: those who are/aren't happy with IV.
> 
> The Pynchon I was talking about - he of the powerful
> imagination and prose, etc. - published a colossal book
> called 'Against the Day' a few years back, which was stuffed
> so full of beauty and dualities that you could hardly move
> for 'em. IV is a very different book, but I find it
> thoroughly enjoyable on its own terms.
> 
> What is strange is that I have noticed at least some
> correlation between those who didn't like ATD and those who
> don't like IV. Not saying that includes you, Laura, just
> that I'd have expected the people who're disappointed by IV
> to have loved ATD, but that doesn't always seem to be the
> case. Maybe someone should take a survey!
> 
> Plus, lightness aside, IV still has plenty of
> autobiographical hints, and there remains the hugely
> intriguing question of how 'connected' to GR it is.
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org
> [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org]
> On Behalf Of kelber at mindspring.com
> 
> >From: "Carvill, John
> 
> But writing occult-informed/inflected works, and satirising
> occultism, well, it's that sort of duality that makes
> Pynchon Pynchon.  That and the beautiful prose,
> unrivalled imagination, and humour, of course.
> 
> The Pynchon of IV isn't the Pynchon of GR. 
> Duality?  Some.  Humor, maybe, but beautiful prose
> and unrivalled imagination are sorely lacking in IV. 
> Not to say there aren't one or two passages that are worth
> quoting, but you have to hunt for them.  In GR, you can
> find them on almost any page.
> 
> Laura
>