Another Greif review

[Jerome Park]

Rules in Saint Jerome's theory of literary criticism, outlined by Foucalt
in his famous "What is an author?":

1. if among several books attributed to an author one is inferior to the
others, it must be withdrawn from the author's works

2. if one book contradicts the doctrine expounded in the others it must be
withdrawn

3. if written in a different style, it must be withdrawn

Foucault argues that modern criticism still defines authors in the same
way.

Of course, lots of critics have noted major shifts in Pynchon "doctrine"
and in quality and style.

It's difficult to argue that V., for example, was written by a Lefty, and
surely not by the same Left shifting Pynchon who wrote the SL Introduction
where he says that he finds a substrate of economic forces that undermine,
then, co-opt the qualities of the working class. In any event, there are
clear and major shifts in Pynchon "doctrine", in how he sees work, the
workers, the forces that weaken the workers and their champions. Rather
than repeat the mantra that the red baiting government dismembered labor,
Pynchon shows that forces more powerful than government, labor itself, and
the tragic ironies of human relations were largely responsible. The rich
and powerful Vibe is no match for the forces of Nature, ours and Hers, but
the battle has left the planet bleeding on the edge.



On Fri, May 15, 2015 at 1:48 PM, Heikki R <
situations.journeys.comedy at gmail.com> wrote:

> Already "Vineland"?
>
> On Fri, May 15, 2015 at 7:10 PM, rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I think that's generally true but in his recent offerings the ambiguity
>> pro-offered is less ambiguous
>>
>> On Fri, May 15, 2015 at 11:19 AM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> or, since one of his 'values' seems to be anti-Either-Orness, one
>>> might reject the dichotomy in the choice as so presented and  embrace
>>> the poised ambiguities of meanings.
>>> As a value.
>>>
>>> On Fri, May 15, 2015 at 9:03 AM, Monte Davis <montedavis49 at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> > "It becomes impossible to declare Pynchon's ultimate 'values' without
>>> > exposing yourself to the embarrassing admission that you may just want
>>> > Pynchon to share your values, and thus settle for one or another of his
>>> > alternatives on that basis." (Mark Greif)
>>> >
>>> > http://www.publicbooks.org/nonfiction/the-trouble-with-modernity
>>> >
>>> -
>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
>>>
>>
>>
>
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