IVIV20: Gateway to the past, 351-352

[Joseph Tracy]

Paul's sentences and thoughts are a bit dense for me to easily follow  
but  here is  some of what I hear Paul saying

A)Doc smokes dope and that interrupts the narrative connections and  
makes some observations  iffy, confused, abstracted.
	So is this :1) escapism, 2)a filter that reminds us of the  
distortions and pleasures of a time and place , 2a) a filter that  
obscures and makes the core narrative unreliable 2b) a filter that  
adds color and  relevant distortions but still allows the core  
narrative to be seen  3) proof that Pynchon has smoked every kind of  
cannibis known to man  4) A device Doc uses for his own psychological  
needs( closure, escape,  social navigation)?


B)The  probability/possibility  that  the explanation of Inherent  
Vice as a  nautical term  might offer some insight to the novel may  
be "bait" "Temptation" "easily swallowed" .

	I would understand this if the nautical term  offered some  
accessible unifying theme of dubious quality. But it seems to require  
serous thought to apply at all , let alone well.

C)Doc is concerned with his status  (Mother, Aunt Reet, Shasta,  
clothes,)
this seems to line him up squarely with the earthlings


D) paul shows  it is worth taking the time to turn back to  a  
character's introduction to compare beginning and end, and find  
patterns in Doc's perceptions  . Nice stuff