One of the themes that appears in The Crying of Lot 49 that has appeared in almost every piece of literature we've recently read, is infidelity. At this point, it is just frustrating me that this is such a prominent theme. It raises questions about the morality of the people at the time the literature was written. Does this theme really reflect the moral standard of the day? Was marital infidelity commonplace? I cannot accept that it was based on what I know about the culture in the 1960's so then why do Pynchon, Faulkner, and various other authors include it in their work? Perhaps Pynchon includes it to display how desperately Oedipa wants an escape from her boring average life. We can tell she is unsatisfied with her life from the first chapter of the book and my theory, for Pynchon at least, is that infidelity is one of the ways she seeks excitement and danger. Even if Oedipa wasn't out looking to sleep with someone, she allowed herself to be in a tempting situation with Metzger. If she was not planing on sleeping with him, it was quite poor planning on her part to be drinking alone with him.
Aside from infidelity being an escape, I believe there is another reason Pynchon, and other authors use sex in their work. Though less elegant an explanation, I find it reliable and probable, and it is that sex sells. From looking at our culture today, this principle is clearly visible, and hard at work in advertising. I find this principle is not exclusive to the advertising world because it shows up in American literature so frequently.
Yet this analysis of Pynchon's use of sexual infidelity may beg the response, "what about the fact that men are coming on to women, not the other way around? Isn't Pynchon commenting on men and their lust for women, not the infidelity of a wife?" Perhaps, and that interpretation is valid especially because of the way Miles, the hotel manager, assumes Oedipa wants to sleep with him in return for playing his demo tape. But I still don't believe that is an accurate commentary on then present day society based on my knowledge of the 60's. Maybe in extreme cases it is, but I do not see that as widespread or acceptable. The interpretation of sex in The Crying of Lot 49 may differ, but Pynchon's motive remains the same. And that is to use sex to sell books. Unfortunately, our culture is fascinated and has historically been fascinated with sex and scandalous happenings. Watching CNN or Fox News is a crystal indicator of that. Unless our culture losses its fascination with sex and infidelity, it will continue to be one of the prevalent theme in Literature.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Mucho Prejudice-o
One of the most interesting sections in the first chapter of The Crying of Lot 49 was where we learn how Mucho compares the people and families who come to him looking to trade in their vehicles with the actual cars themselves. I believe Pnychon's specific purpose behind giving the reader this information about Mucho is to reveal his character to us. Specifically that he is prejudiced. He makes judgments about his customers lives based on the "automotive projection" (pp 5) of themselves.
We see that he is judgmental of those that come in offering trade-ins that have little or no value, connecting the poor condition of the car with their lives. He assumes that just because they do not take car of the car, their lives must be in ruins. Mucho never stops to think that perhaps the people who come to him just choose not to spend their money on a nice car, but save it for things they might deem more important. He assumes because the interior of a car smells like cheap beer and cigarettes means the person who brought it too him must be smokers and and drinking in order to leave the problems of their "troubled lives". He doesn't think it just might be possible they purchased the car from someone else who smoked or drank. Mucho's problem in relating to people is that he doesn't go beyond the outward expressions of a person's life. He does not and chooses not to search for the hearts of the people he deals with and therefore will always be blinded by first-glance characteristics which may or may not be the true reflection.
Though Mucho may often be correct in his assumptions of people based on the evidence their automobiles provide, he will inevitably be incorrect sometimes. I cannot say for certain at this early stage in the novel, but I believe Pynchon reveals this characterization of Mucho as foreshadowing of his downfall because of his prejudice.
We see that he is judgmental of those that come in offering trade-ins that have little or no value, connecting the poor condition of the car with their lives. He assumes that just because they do not take car of the car, their lives must be in ruins. Mucho never stops to think that perhaps the people who come to him just choose not to spend their money on a nice car, but save it for things they might deem more important. He assumes because the interior of a car smells like cheap beer and cigarettes means the person who brought it too him must be smokers and and drinking in order to leave the problems of their "troubled lives". He doesn't think it just might be possible they purchased the car from someone else who smoked or drank. Mucho's problem in relating to people is that he doesn't go beyond the outward expressions of a person's life. He does not and chooses not to search for the hearts of the people he deals with and therefore will always be blinded by first-glance characteristics which may or may not be the true reflection.
Though Mucho may often be correct in his assumptions of people based on the evidence their automobiles provide, he will inevitably be incorrect sometimes. I cannot say for certain at this early stage in the novel, but I believe Pynchon reveals this characterization of Mucho as foreshadowing of his downfall because of his prejudice.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
A Cleansing Power
In Faulkner's There was a Queen, the section of the short story that I found most interesting and a bit perplexing was the part when the reader finds that Narcissa and her son have been sitting in a nearby creek for hours just talking. They haven't been swimming or fishing and haven't gone to the water for any particular purpose other than to just sit.
Though I am not entirely sure of Faulkner's purpose in including this part of the plot, I believe he chose water specifically to symbolize a sense of renewal and cleansing. It is assumed Narcissa has sexual relations with the federal agent in order to retrieve her letters and also assumed that she is somewhat bothered by what she has done. Water, throughout history, has repeatedly been symbolic of purity and renewal. It occurs in almost every world religion. For example water is a symbol of new life in Christ in the act of baptism. In ancient Judaism, water was used to ritually purify oneself after one had encountered something in everyday life that had caused him or her to become unclean. Even in literature and film, rain often has a cleansing or renewing quality to it.
In having Narcissa sit in this running creek, Faulkner is portraying her attempt at washing herself clean of the guilt and shame she feels for offering her body to this stranger. This purifying power of water is why Faulkner includes this plot sequence. Going to lie in the creek is Narcissa seeking renewal and a new beginning so she can leave her shame in the past.
Though I am not entirely sure of Faulkner's purpose in including this part of the plot, I believe he chose water specifically to symbolize a sense of renewal and cleansing. It is assumed Narcissa has sexual relations with the federal agent in order to retrieve her letters and also assumed that she is somewhat bothered by what she has done. Water, throughout history, has repeatedly been symbolic of purity and renewal. It occurs in almost every world religion. For example water is a symbol of new life in Christ in the act of baptism. In ancient Judaism, water was used to ritually purify oneself after one had encountered something in everyday life that had caused him or her to become unclean. Even in literature and film, rain often has a cleansing or renewing quality to it.
In having Narcissa sit in this running creek, Faulkner is portraying her attempt at washing herself clean of the guilt and shame she feels for offering her body to this stranger. This purifying power of water is why Faulkner includes this plot sequence. Going to lie in the creek is Narcissa seeking renewal and a new beginning so she can leave her shame in the past.
Friday, April 6, 2007
We Are All Searching For Something
I agree with Carl Rapp's interpretation of "The Descent" and offer other evidences in his poem that support his reading.
Williams writes "No defeat is made up entirely of defeat-- since/ the world it opens is always a place/formerly/unsuspected..." The defeat the writer speaks of is the outside world's defeat of his search for happiness and meaning in his own existence. But he continues that it is not entirely a defeat meaning it is not a realization that leaves him with nothing left to live for, but leads him to different methods of finding his satisfaction, which is looking inside oneself. "The world it opens" (his inner self) is a place he didn't expect to find peace and satisfaction but somehow does. It is obvious through the way many of us live that we are searching for affirmation and satisfaction in life from the world and doubtlessly Williams did as well. It is no surprise that the new world opened by turning inside one self is unexpected because almost none of us look inside.
Later in "The Decent" Williams leaves evidence which suggests this looking inward for satisfaction is truly where happiness lies. "The descent/made up of despairs/and without accomplishment/realizes a new awakening:/which is reversal/ of despair." The descent is the dismal understanding that the world is cruel and unforgiving. Willams writes that the descent is made up of despairs like the physical ailments he suffered and the loss of his mother Rapp noted in his essay on "The Descent". However, for Williams, this dismal realization leads to a "new awakening" which is the discovery of satisfaction by looking inward on himself. This new found understanding is the reversal of despair as Willaims learns he does not need to rely on the world that has proven itself to be unbearable for satisfaction. Instead he needs to look inside himself to be content; a realization which cannot be reversed. It is "indestructible".
Everyone is looking for the meaning and purpose of existence, and also a satisfaction or fulfillment of purpose. Literature and philosophy through the centuries proves that. At the realization that the world is empty and cannot satisfy, many turn to religion, others turn to existentialist philosophy, and whatever else out there promises fulfillment and joy. "The Descent" is the story of William's "awakening" and the means by which he finds fulfillment in his life.
Williams writes "No defeat is made up entirely of defeat-- since/ the world it opens is always a place/formerly/unsuspected..." The defeat the writer speaks of is the outside world's defeat of his search for happiness and meaning in his own existence. But he continues that it is not entirely a defeat meaning it is not a realization that leaves him with nothing left to live for, but leads him to different methods of finding his satisfaction, which is looking inside oneself. "The world it opens" (his inner self) is a place he didn't expect to find peace and satisfaction but somehow does. It is obvious through the way many of us live that we are searching for affirmation and satisfaction in life from the world and doubtlessly Williams did as well. It is no surprise that the new world opened by turning inside one self is unexpected because almost none of us look inside.
Later in "The Decent" Williams leaves evidence which suggests this looking inward for satisfaction is truly where happiness lies. "The descent/made up of despairs/and without accomplishment/realizes a new awakening:/which is reversal/ of despair." The descent is the dismal understanding that the world is cruel and unforgiving. Willams writes that the descent is made up of despairs like the physical ailments he suffered and the loss of his mother Rapp noted in his essay on "The Descent". However, for Williams, this dismal realization leads to a "new awakening" which is the discovery of satisfaction by looking inward on himself. This new found understanding is the reversal of despair as Willaims learns he does not need to rely on the world that has proven itself to be unbearable for satisfaction. Instead he needs to look inside himself to be content; a realization which cannot be reversed. It is "indestructible".
Everyone is looking for the meaning and purpose of existence, and also a satisfaction or fulfillment of purpose. Literature and philosophy through the centuries proves that. At the realization that the world is empty and cannot satisfy, many turn to religion, others turn to existentialist philosophy, and whatever else out there promises fulfillment and joy. "The Descent" is the story of William's "awakening" and the means by which he finds fulfillment in his life.
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