Fw: Re: M & D Deep Duck. Go East, Young Man.

[kelber at mindspring.com]

-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com>

>
>LIKE...but the East also has 'a new orientation to being',
>yes?...Cherrycoke alludes also to Eastern notions of agelessness in
>that one paragraph....
>
>On Sat, Jan 10, 2015 at 1:51 PM,  <kelber at mindspring.com> wrote:
>>
>> I read it differently, Becky. Cherrycoke wasn't assigned to the Seahorse when it was headed West (to fight in the war), but headed East to Sumatra, on the voyage with Mason and Dixon. "I set sail upon an Engine of Destruction, in the hope that Eastward yet might dwell something of Peace and Godhead, which British Civilization, in venturing Westward, had left behind..."
>>
>> Interesting that Pynchon equates Brits going West with war, their going East with peace, when, as you've said, they've got plenty of skirmishes going on in that direction.
>>
>> But it brings up the whole direction thing in Pynchon's work. In general, North is bad (especially in ATD, and also in GR) - cold, white, wreaking havoc on the South colonialistically speaking. West (hemispherically-speaking) is also bad, again for its colonial/crusading designs on the East.
>>
>> But the West of the Americas is still very much populated by the indigenous victims of colonialism, so it's more the Westward than the West that's the villain here.
>>
>> I think we discussed the East-->West vs West-->East thing more during the ATD read. Merle traveled West, but Dally traveled East. In M&D, the only choice is Westward.
>>
>> Laura
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>>From: Becky Lindroos <bekker2 at icloud.com>
>>
>>>
>>>Off hand I'd say that the Dutch East India Company (VOC - "East Indiaman" mentioned) was fighting a lot of wars in the area of Borneo and Cherrycoke wanted in on the action.  This was a big world even at the time - lots of things happening even if,  to Americans, the US should have been the only focus.  Cherrycoke was as much an adventure-seeking male as any, so he wanted to get in on a little action which includes "ship-board romance"  pirates, big guns, and ocean storms, etc.  Unfortunately for Cherrycoke, the Brits ordered him onto a small warship heading West.
>>>
>>>Is that what you meant?  I think there's more character insight into Cherrycoke and his love of adventure in addition to the hows and whys of his landing in the US than there is any kind of thematic allusion there. Just my o. -  There's better stuff down the page and on the next (pp 10-11, Kindle edition):
>>>
>>>"Keep away from harmful Substances, in particular Coffee, Tobacco and Indian Hemp. If you must use the latter, do not inhale. Keep your memory working, young man! Have a safe Voyage."
>>>
>>>Bekah
>>>

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