BEg2 chapter 3 - a lack of rancor (a bit rambly, Crown Royal Shirley Templar IIIrd degree)

[Mark Kohut]

Here's a little riff on sisterhood from an old guy which I wish female
Plisters would jump into discussing.

Thesis: In the US (at least; my experience), women bond, can be bound
together re men in ways men almost never are.
They share whatever womanhood friendship IS, in ways men seldom do. For
example, re men. They often feel no jealousy at all
re one. I knew two lifelong girlfriends in NYC, a generation younger than
me, the decade before BE begins, therefore matching
Maxine and Heidi's time, both differently attractive types physically,
smart and ambitious who used to try out men, so to speak, for each other.
If one man was more attractive/interesting to one, the other would make the
play, the moves, to report to the other. Full make-out sessions at least
sometimes; maybe more?

Contemporary novels, and pop culture (I guess. Friends? dunno) are full of
how women can become closer by having the same boyfriend--serially---but
there are
plenty of stories of women uniting against a double-fucking man whereas men
seem almost never to do that. Unite that is. Almost never do either.
Wingmen for the alpha guy are not the same thing are they?

Pynchon knows this in BE, I say.

On Sun, Nov 14, 2021 at 2:54 AM Michael Bailey <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Why does Maxine exhibit such a lack of rancor towards Heidi?
>
> Part of it is she knows Heidi’s abuses are adventures she wants to some
> extent.
>
> “ offenses Maxine in fact still finds herself brooding about from back in
> high school—clothes borrowed but never returned, invitations to nonexistent
> parties, Heidi-arranged hookups with guys Heidi knew were clinically
> psychopathic.
>             Sort of thing.”
>
> Builds character, the adversity giving her the grit to become something
> beyond a staid accountant to whom Horst would say in bed, “Audit me,
> Maxine!”
>
>
> If “Heidrophobia” characterizes Heidi as a rabid, well, bitch, then
> “Maxi-Pad” characterizes Maxine as sympathetic absorber of excess flow.
> Needing that re-humanizes Heidi. Being able to offer it and accept  being
> relegated to the Princess’s slightly less attractive comic sidekick gives
> Maxine a role she can doff and don as needed.
>
> And perhaps there is more pathos here than I’m giving credit for.
>
> Young Strubel under the dominion of his mother is reminiscent of Bertie
> Wooster under the dominion of one or more aunts, which, funny as his
> adventures are, is kind of sad because he’s so feckless.
>
> And the consequences of promiscuity (cp Veterans of the Sexual Revolution
> in GR?) include difficulty in settling down, holding the satisfaction
> thereof in abeyance indefinitely.
>
> Which Heidi experiences firsthand; a one night date with Horst and similar
> experiences with other men is no substitute for building a home as a
> couple.
>
> Now naturally there are compensations; enough people do not fit the
> somewhat Procrustean bed of marriage (yes, it’s what you make of it, true)
> that other approaches - especially, but not exclusively, in a big city - do
> find adherents.
>
> But Maxine has kept enough of a trousseau, so to say, that she does intend
> to enforce expectations.
> And Horst thinks he can buy his way out of that.
>
> So Maxine’s sexual adventures would not even occur in this story were it
> not for Horst’s unfaithfulness.
>
> And yet, they are compelling reading (imho.) It’s almost like a competitive
> sport, and her coming out of retirement to engage with the series of men
> Joseph has just mentioned.
>
>
> But returning to the lack of rancor between Maxine and Heidi, they’ve been
> friends since forever, so….
> --
> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>