IVIV (8): An Occasional Certified Zombie

[David Morris]

I certainly agree that compassion for the doomed is central to all
Pynchon's writing, and is a part of his interest in the concept of a
preterite.  Equally, Pynchon likes to identify cruelty and villainous
power structures, and BINGO, a predestined preterite bespeaks and evil
predestinator.

Pynchon also loves logical conundrums, and has rightly found one in
Calvinist theology.  We also know that Pynchon is obsessed with the
nature of history, especially its being a series of choices which are
irreversible.  Predestination and choice are logically very hard to
marry.

I would say a more direct connection to VL would be his identifying
koans as everyday phenomena, and something valuable to examine.

David Morris

>> [*The term "preterite," is a Calvinist theological reference meaning "those passed over by God, or those not elected to salvation or eternal life." Thus, a preterite is anyone living life with no promise of redemption -- the true condition of everyone who faces life honestly. Pynchon's compassion for these universal losers is central to his work.