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

[Joseph Tracy]

To own the power of feminine sexuality, fertility, beauty,nurture, mystery of birth, of continuity.  Men plotting to make the feminine serve some new, though as yet  unstated revolutionary adjustments of power. To hide Venus for awhile in the Judas tree to shamelessly connect again the goddess to betrayal, the age old scheme- Eve the culprit -and Eve the mother of a thorny exit from paradise.

The dentist takes that which is from nature but which is weakened and painful from mischance or abuse and removes the weakened part to replace it with silver or gold . The  biological organism becomes an extension of metallurgy, tools, excavation, craftsmanship. His prosthetic skills make him the high priest of self preservation, the forgiver of the overindulgent.
On Oct 10, 2010, at 12:41 AM, Michael Bailey wrote:

> 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")