CoL49 2024 group reading ch6 - Fallopian encounter

[Michael Bailey]

Fallopian has changed his look, attracting a bevy of “broads”

She’d found him amusing before, but here she rapidly develops an antipathy.

It’s understandable that his Castro getup repels her, and even more so when
she finds out he’s already in touch with Winthrop Tremaine.

But in the text, the gradations of her dislike occur in step with his
entirely reasonable suggestions as to how she should proceed with respect
to the Tristero.

“She gave him a quick status report. He kept quiet while she talked, his
expression slowly changing to something she couldn’t recognize. It bothered
her.”



What is she looking for from him? Some kind of human comfort, or at least a
willingness to humor her, one surmises. In vain.


This is the part I find it hard to grok:

“I knew you’d be different,” she said, “Mike, because everybody’s been
changing on me. But it hadn’t gone as far as hating me.”

 “Hating you.” He shook his head and laughed.


He’s gone all rational & unsympathetic, true - but hate?
Laughing at the notion is insensitive but not indicative of hatred.

He doesn’t care about her, & never has, is maybe what she’s clearly
perceiving for the first time - or rather, allowing herself to perceive,
having avoided that perception as also she’s avoided the thought that The
Tristero might be a put-on, and also the thought that someday she herself
“would have to die”

Absent the semblance of personal connection which they’ve been enacting,
the façade which he’s dropped in favor of an overtly violent revolutionary
persona, she sees the fanatic in his true nature embodying a philosophy
born of hatred & realizes she’s not in any circle of people whom he doesn’t
hate?

She sure does immediately drop him off her Christmas list! Which, he has it
coming…n’est ça pas?