V-2nd - 4?

[kelber at mindspring.com]

This week, and next, we're supposed to be discussing Chapter 4 (Esther's nose job).  Dave Monroe had mentioned he might repost his notes from the last group read, hopefully inciting new comments.  Dave?  Or we can all just pitch in with our thoughts.

Nose job anecdote:  One of my Jewish friends who'd had a nose job once pointed out a woman to me and said:  "I know that nose.  That's Dr. [somebody's] work.  I've seen that nose all over Long Island."

This chapter was my own introduction to Pynchon.  A guy I was sweet on freshman year was taking a "Gothic Lit" class, and this chapter was one of the readings.  He told me and my roommates it was fantastic, and one of my roommates (an aspiring actress) read it out loud to us.  I had to read the rest of the novel after that.

Is the nose job sequence an example of gothic horror?  Not sure about the genre requirements.  Alice?

Laura