Maxine & Kugelblitzian Middle Age

[Fiona Shnapple]

Krugelblitzian Analysis, a neo-Freudian system that apparently got
people through the Depression (BE2.31), identifies paranoia with
middle age.

Notice that P capitalizes "Depression" and sets up an ambiguity that
is typical of his strategy throughout this work, that is, he uses
ambiguity, doubling and multiplying, often paradoxically, and with
puns and allusions, his meanings to develop themes.

Here the Economic Depression, and the mental affliction are united
under the capitalized noun. This is, of course, an important theme:
how the business cycle, and the life cycle develop through the
generations. Much as we see this in VL, AGTD, where work and the
family are at the center of conflicts and cycles universal and beyond.

So, one question that we need to ask is how old Maxine is in the
Spring of 2001? Can we say for sure? Has P played loose with her age,
a deliberate confusion or ambiguity?

Middle age is not easy to define. We hear phrases, louder since the
fitness craze of the 80s, that 50 is the new 30, so on. And what
middle age means in terms of life expectancy, for men and for women,
and in terms of mating rituals and marriage, partnerships, etc., is
open to debate, surely. Then there's the fact that the Kugelblitzian
system was set up when all these time measures were shorter.

In any event, Maxine goes to high school in the late 70s and college
in the early 80s, so she's approaching 40. With two kids and an kind
of X husband, she fits the middle age paranoia stage. Not to mention
the fact that she's a bundle of paranoia.
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Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l