Manson Cult; was Golden Fang

[Robin Landseadel]

On Sep 27, 2009, at 8:03 AM, Bekah wrote:

> First,  I think the Manson murders are frequently referenced in IV  
> is because media coverage and gossip/talk were so much a part of  
> setting,  LA and nation,  at the time.

If you were anywhere near the neighborhood at the time you felt the  
effects of the Manson murders practically the first moment you heard  
the story on the six o'clock news. Suddenly, this whole "Hippie" thing  
became a whole lot more un-do-able.

> The LA Times,  and other papers as well as the network news sources  
> were full of the murders,  investigation and trials on a daily basis  
> from August 1969 to April, 1971  and beyond,  even unto today.      
> Actually, IV takes place directly in middle of that period,   Manson  
> and company were in jail and awaiting trial (pre-trial stuff?) .     
> I think if TPR did any research to refresh his memory he came up  
> with Manson, Manson,  Manson in all the papers and old TV news  
> footage.

Or maybe he's giving us a clue as to what was on his mind as he was  
deep into writing "Gravity's Rainbow."

> And I think just realistically,  that's what the cops, detectives,   
> street people etc.  would talk about.   Actually, there was talk  
> that Manson didn't get fair trial in LA because of the publicity,   
> but the fact is that the media coverage was nation-wide.
>
> Re GR,  I don't think that the events of the Holocaust were so well  
> known during the time and place of GR (by Slothrop and company) -  
> they became very, very well known later.
>
> Manson was about 35 years old when the murders occurred.   How old  
> is Doc?  About 30?  (Don't trust anyone over 30.)
>
> Second,   and I'm not so sure about this part,   I think there's are  
> a couple themes to be explored regarding Manson.   There's the  
> "inherent vice" of US society and what it will make people into -  
> especially relating to the US as a whole and to Manson as a primo  
> example.  And there's the related idea of the ending of the
> American Hippie Dream - peace and freedom.
>
> Also reminds me of the old adage,  "The next time you're in trouble,  
> call a hippie."  This  was said by straights but the thougth gets a  
> new twist from Pynchon -   (Very trite - I know - but someone had to  
> say it.)

Doesn't seem trite at all. Other than Ghostbusters, who are you gonna  
call these days?

> Bekah
>
>
> On Sep 26, 2009, at 1:52 PM, David Morris wrote:
>
>> Has anyone noticed how often the Manson murders have been referenced
>> in IV?  Isn't this contrary to his usual absence of the huge  
>> elephant?
>> Holocaust in GR?...

Operation Midnight Climax in The Crying of Lot 49?

>>
>> The Manson Murders in IV have been pushed to the front in IV many
>> times without any obvious story-relevance.

And the LAPD pushing around TV sized boxes full of high grade smack?  
Hum, wonder what degree of veracity we have going on in this scene?

>> Just sayin...
>
> http://web.mac.com/bekker2/