V2nd - a couple three questions

[Mark Kohut]

For Adams, the Virgin as in Mary, was THE motivating reason for
the achievements of the Middle ages. The Virgin is, by definition,
a virgin and love of the courtly love kind began here. See The
Wandering Scholars, name-checked by TRP, and others including
Love in the Western World. 

Them small c-catholics? The degradation of Catholicism, ya think, so
to overinterpret?


But that capped Situation? Reifying the complicated reality/appearance
confusion of a spy-filled world?

Lookie here: The Situationist International (SI) was a restricted group of 
international revolutionaries founded in 1957, and which had its peak in its 
influence on the unprecedented general wildcat strikes of May 1968 in France.




----- Original Message ----
From: Michael Bailey <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com>
To: P-list <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Sat, September 18, 2010 5:37:24 AM
Subject: V2nd - a couple three questions

1) the Henry Adams book I'm thinking of just now in conjunction with
V. is that one about the cathedrals, where he talks about the ubiquity
of the Virgin Mary in the 10th century as a driver of (unfortunately)
crusades and (much more inspiringly) cathedrals.  As somebody who
people prayed to, got things done in the name of, a figure in history
who took an active part like Fina breaking up the street fight just by
walking thru!
Is it possible that V. stands for virgin?  And the abbreviation of
virginity by various means, fair and (all too often) foul?

2) anybody catch the 2nd occurrence of small-c catholic in Chapter 7?
(1st was in the description of Mantissa's eyes)

3) I wonder, do we think that old Sidney Stencil's concept of the
Situation devolves from Pynchon's study of, and possible attraction
to, Situationism?  Whether or not that's the case, I do quite like old
soft-shoe Stencil out in front of his chorus line admitting, even
stipulating, that one person can't comprehend a Situation alone!


-- 
"I have left my book,
I have left my room,
For I heard your voice
singing through the gloom" - James Joyce