BtZ42 pages 116-121

[Mark Kohut]

p. 116, Miller edition  "last chance for a section 8 'n' he blew it...."

114.5 *Section 8*
A category of discharge from the United States military for reason of being
mentally unfit for service

No Catch-22 escape for Slothrop. So Pynchon winks at us?
Is Slothrop not sane enough to act crazy? Too paranoid to act 'crazy'? Just
too normal, really?'
since, of course, as we sorta know, he is being perceptive?

Once again, in this chapter, I will differ from Fowler speaking of
Slothrop's naiveté. Maybe, who sees it that way?
but given the fog of war, I am impressed that he can tell something's up
concerning him personally.

On Tue, Jun 28, 2016 at 6:29 AM, Eileen Pierce <eileenpierce333 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> They’ve cut Slothrop loose again, he wanders, seeking places the followers
> might not follow.  Released from St. Veronica’s, he is reunited with
> Darlene from St. Veronica's.  Then tea and candies with Mrs. Quoad.  (Ha!)
>
> "The Meggezone is like being belted in the head with a Swiss Alp.  Menthol
> icicles immediately begin to grow from the roof of Slothrop’s mouth.  Polar
> bears seek toenail-holds up the freezing frosty-grape alveolar clusters  in
> his lungs.  It hurts his teeth too much to breathe, even through his nose,
> even necktie loosened, with his nose down inside the neck of his olive-drab
> T-shirt.  Benzoin vapors seep into his brain.  His head floats in a halo of
> ice.”  (Wow.)
>
> Slothrop in bed with Darlene, “hunting across the zero between waking and
> sleep”.  Mrs. Quoad is in the parlor dreaming of the King’s hand on her
> neck.  (Huh?)  Rocket and erection.  All the while, watched from behind the
> orange shade.
>
> Thank you p-listers for this fascinating group read.  I look forward to
> reading your thoughts on this section.  Enjoy the day!  e
>
>
> Eileen Pierce
> 608-512-6451
>
>
>
> -
> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>
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