Ch 6 of V-2 Eeeeeeraaaaah, wutsupdoc?

[Michael Bailey]

On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 9:31 PM, alice wellintown
<alicewellintown at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> But I think
>> this is a powerful first novel with  an unusual and perhaps unprecedented
>> structure;
>
> Say anything about this idea and I'll kiss you. what's unusual and
> perhaps unprecedented about its structure? what is the structure?
>

I also would be interested in more about that.

While I'm not crazy about, what's that stuff called, concrete poetry,
where the typography makes a shape like that poem by the Dormouse in
Alice in Wonderland -
 - so I'm not really looking for V-ishness in the shape of the plot,
but can't rule that out...
would be obliged for any clarifications on the structure.

>
> Why bother treating Benny like the protagonist? That's where a lot of
> P readers get screwed up.

because benny and zoyd are the most interesting and sympathetic
characters in their respective books, perhaps?  because beneath their
veneer of ignorance is the life experience that the world of each book
branches out from?  maybe that's why...Stencil's interesting but he's
only a little bit simpatico; Paola just doesn't get enough ink for me
to feel her as central; Prairie's nice and very important but, well,
she's contingent on Zoyd and Frenesi, and there is no conclusive
handoff to her, she's made some strides and Thanatoid Weed takes a
shine to her and so forth, but quite honestly I am much more involved
by her mom.  Frenesi's tale is compelling, but still, as the credits
roll, we're looking at Zoyd and his hound...

whereas in V. at the very end, we're looking at the waterspout, aren't
we?  people falling afoul of inanimate once again;  Stencil's father
creating the mystery by leaving the scene with insufficient
explanation, just as Stencil leaves Benny with insufficient
explanation, and although Stencil and Paola did pull him to Valletta,
it is Benny's status that is interestingly left hanging...like
"creeper weed", that hits just when you think you've been burned, will
Stencil's message eventually stone Benny to his soul?