SLPAD - 86 - I’ve been reading ahead (-;

[Michael Bailey]

Used to catch heck for that back in 4th grade - the stories in that reader
were irresistible.

“Lowlands” is on deck (fittingly, the phrase stretches to a Naval
connotation) & with so much interesting stuff in it.



But in terms of getting to the concluding sentence of “The Small Rain”
(“After a while he fell asleep.”) we are almost there.


I didn’t remember that the title of one of Pynchon’s Boeing articles is
“Togetherness.”

The word is all over the place in the ‘50s. There’s even a “Father Knows
Best” episode with that title.

https://youtu.be/iyTs-0GZVL8



The usual backlash occurred, with concomitant deprecation - Richard Yates
in _Revolutionary Road_ called togetherness sentimental and emasculating;
Betty Friedan called it “the big lie” -

A synthesis occurs in the case of the FKB episode, wherein a magazine
stations a reporter with a big, primitive camera in the Anderson household
in an early “reality show” concept staged to highlight the family’s
togetherness - whereupon they scatter & squabble, but come together when
urgent need presses, it’s quite heartwarming. F’n good tv imho.


No doubt there are many ways to interpret the story, or avoid interpreting
it altogether a la Susan Sontag, but the fact and limits of togetherness -
of the Army dudes
Officer and enlisted/draftee
of Levine & Buttercup
of military & civilian
Of animate & inanimate
Of anticipation and disappointment
Northerners and Southerners

- and playing with the idea of togetherness, such as Picnic’s nudging
Levine to settle down, as well as Picnic’s swamp shack fantasy, Levine’s
previous relationship that may have formed the basis of his philosophy
(“never go back”), Baxter’s desire to get laid, and the informal group
cohesiveness among the body removers -

- seems like an interesting core sample.

Whatever its shortcomings, in the “massively multiplayer togetherness”
construct (the Small Rain Universe) Levine at least feels comfortable
enough to repeatedly fall asleep. And though changes in his psyche are
obviously being rung (wrung?) -

 viz. “[will be glad to get] Back?” Levine said. “Oh, yeah, I guess so.”

- he has retained the ability to sleep as he rides back to Fort Roach.

Pleasant dreams, Nathan!