Not P but Moby-Dick (95)

J K Van Nort jkvannort at yahoo.com
Sat Mar 30 12:27:41 UTC 2024


Hello, 
I’m new to the list serve but not to Pynchon. I noticed in the archives that people were considering a reading of CoL49. Are you still considering doing that? I would love to join if you do. I have read every Pynchon novel & SL  at least four times.
Sorry to post on this thread, but I can’t post on the new pad thread.


Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone


On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 05:13, Michael Bailey <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com> wrote:

Context suggests it’s himself

“I know the way to act with you: defiance. You’re going to be cruel even if
I offer love & reverence. If you choose to punish my defiance, all you can
do is kill me - and what the heck, everyone is going to die anyway.

“I’m not fearless out of foolishness or ignorance - I know (“own” - archaic
usage) how powerful you are, but I will defy you to my last gasp”



On Wed, Mar 27, 2024 at 12:10 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
wrote:

> From Chapter 119:
>
> “Oh! thou clear spirit of clear fire, whom on these seas I as Persian once
> did worship, till in the sacramental act so burned by thee, that to this
> hour I bear the scar; I now know thee, thou clear spirit, and I now know
> that thy right worship is defiance. To neither love nor reverence wilt thou
> be kind; and e’en for hate thou canst but kill; and all are killed. No
> fearless fool now fronts thee. I own thy speechless, placeless power; but
> to the last gasp of my earthquake life will dispute its unconditional,
> unintegral mastery in me.
>
> In "No fearless fool now fronts thee", is Ahab talking talking about
> himself, i.e. "I am no fearless fool", or is he making a general statement,
> meaning there is no one fearless and foolish enough to confront the spirit?
> --
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