V.,wherefore such silence? Whither goest thou?

[kelber at mindspring.com]

Mea culpa -  I got side-tracked by various personal issues.  There hasn't been a whole lot of discussion of this chapter, though.  That's surprising, because it's a pithy chapter.  Unlike Mondaugen's story, though, it's not the precursor to any major themes or devices in Pynchon's later work - at least I don't think it is.  It stands alone as a short story, and maybe that's the best way to critique it.

I agree with Mike that Fausto's (and V.'s) transformations are more of the step-function variety. What does it mean for a person's life to be a series of disjointed, disconnected incidents?  Pynchon's saying something about the 20th century here.  Things move to fast, like a reel of film.  We no longer live and die in the same place, or if we do, like Fausto, the place itself is what changes.  If there's no sinusoidal snake of experience to latch onto, how do we anchor ourselves?  By knowing who we are, in our core, and being true to that self.  That's something Fausto and V. can't do.  They're fragmented into unreconcilable parts - each one a different person.  That's why his Confession reads more like a plea to Paola.  Please be a whole person - don't succumb to that ailment of fragmentation that taints the 20th century.

Laura


-----Original Message-----
>From: Michael Bailey <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com>
>Sent: Dec 5, 2010 11:37 AM
>To: P-list <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>Subject: Re: V.,wherefore such silence? Whither goest thou?
>
> Mark Kohut  wrote:
>>
>
>I thought my response to Laura's post would spark at least one reply.
>
>(as Steve, of Steve and Steve, 2 more of the Crew at the AT&T document
>library in 1981 along with Vicky and me, once said:
>it's embarrassing to sing out, "Ba- ba- ba-, ba-ba-ba-Ran, and not
>have anybody else join in...)
>
>but to continue more briefly
>
>a) I was trying to absorb her argument about the 4 faces of Fausto
>into the notion of history as either step-function or sinuous snake
>
>b) But to look at transformation qua transformation:
>what other transformations are mentioned in the book?
>
>V.'s transformations occur between snapshots, so to speak.
>But certainly she changes drastically.
>
>Stencil's 2 transformations are from "one who enjoyed the pleasures of
>sleep" to diplomat/spy, and from that to a quester after V.
>
>Mondaugen finds the area of scientific inquiry that he wants to stake
>out, already occupied by fascism, and apparently grows used to it,
>settling for a life in the armaments trade.  This may be the saddest
>change, simply because his potential is so much greater.
>
>c) re: public life, a prominent idea in V. is decadence.
>A decadence in society makes personal progress problematic.
>Benny seems rather determined not to transform into anything.
>Under the circumstances, not the worst decision.
>
>V.'s demise: probably the most emotional moment in the book.
>
>Fausto the adult watching children;
>Fausto who could rescue her, not stepping in
>(what is his obligation toward someone he doesn't like?)
>Fausto the would-be priest finally moved to offer final comforts
>
>there's something mise-en-sceneish about it...
>
>Stencil watching the WSC, not really getting involved
>Mondaugen watching the decadence at Foppl's, not taking a stand
>Benny thinking that identifying himself as a schlemiel will exempt him
>from taking a stand or making a sincere effort...
>
>
>
>-- 
>"Three things in life are important. The first is to be kind.  The
>second is to be kind.  And the third is to be kind." - Henry James