V-2nd - Chapter 8 - Section IV - Stencil's soliloquy: the soul-dentist and the WSC don't "get" him...

[Michael Bailey]

once again the dentist as confessor.

stretching out beyond the chapter once again:
Venus in the museum, residing precisely there because the confluence
of historical events gave the State the power to own it and display
this pre-Christian symbol?

so the State took over the role of patron of the arts from the Church
and uses female divinity for its own ends, which seem to be (unlike
Christian icons) not inspirational but simply for display?  Stuck
aside in a museum?
And Mantissa wants to take it for no stated purpose - does he ever?
nope, do not think so...no plan; as the knife begins its cut, he
envisions his future with the painting as with his old lover the
seamstress and him listening to Venus as to his lover, seeing but not
sharing her excitements and enthusiasms...and gives over the theft...

(the Gaucho would probably say something like, "we hereby liberate
this Venus in the name of the Revolution", but he doesn't have a plan
for her either, does he?)

and the State usurped the confessional role: Victoria Wren carries the
tale of Godolphin to Sidney Stencil - she cannot shrive him (or
chooses not to) but only refers him to the instrument of the State.

And in a similar way, dentists took over the role of confessor?
A mostly verbal relationship, replaced by a largely physical one with
moral overtones...

but here's where Nueva York is a little different - Stencil's occupied
Eigenvalue so Roony ends up confessing to Rachel, and she doesn't
carry Roony's tale anywhere

and Stencil's theft of his chosen symbol of the feminine succeeds...

----------but enough of that:
Neither Eigenvalue nor the Whole Sick Crew pegs him correctly - so sez
"becoming-Stencil" who makes the distinction:
Not searching for identity: no, not he.  He searches for V., which is
different than searching for his identity ---
it gives him identity (he who searches for V.) but V. is no more his
identity than Eigenvalue or any member of the Crew.

That is, he can tell.  That they, like she, are "others".

The fact is, he's granting them a potential to be just as interesting as V.
There is a way to extend his quest for V. into a humanistic vision,
which would involve searching for Eigenvalue or Fu or Charisma as
heartily as he does for V.

There really isn't much sign of him doing this...



-- 
- But you can wade in the water
and never get wet
if you keep on doin' that rag (Grateful Dead, "Doin' That Rag")