COL49 Group Read, section 3

[Joseph Tracy]

> On May 14, 2024, at 5:20 AM, J K Van Nort via Pynchon-l <pynchon-l at waste.org> wrote:
> 
> Some questions about the second half of chapter two.
> How consensual is the sex?
Probably about 51%. But normal inhibitions are in a showdown with tequila.. And it is a weird set-up with Metzger seemingly almost commissioned by Pierce “she won’t be easy” Inverarity. The likely possibility that as lawyer for the powerful owner of 51 % of the town he could have set up his movie to be played soon after his arrival. Why does she put on the layers of clothes if not in some attempted reluctance to play by his rules. There is also some possible payback to Mucho  for his indiscretions. I can see the whole thing as a political seduction: the idea of the leader and state as the innocent heroic child ( B Igor)now grown to a handsome man , and wanting cooperation. It’ a weird come on.

> Why do the characters in the movie die?

Again I see a kind of psychological political seduction.  All the sacrifices of the innocent and guilty  offered on behalf of 'the people’, America, the babe.  How does one turn this down? When it comes to real historic information concerning the bones in the bone charcoal  cigarette filters Metzger warily puts off answering.  


> How does Eliade’s ‘non-religious man’ respond to the many religious images presented by TRP? 

The alienation of those who have no connection to the  transcendent shows up in numerous ways as do instances of connection. One form of refusal of spirit is idolatry like the bust of J. Gould, the phallic yoyodyne rockets, the nymph echo, or  Maxwells free energy demon. Another is the eagerness to bury inconvenient truth, unpleasant memories or criminal murder like the bones of soldiers, like texts mentions the tristero. Or even to  transform them into profit, to the secret ink of conspiracy. against all perceived enemies.


>  How does a drummer set up on a diving board? 
> 
> In solidarity,
> James
> 
\