Chapter Three: Miles and Lindsay at the World's Fair
“The Asiatic midget” (21) who takes their admission yells “deadbeats” when the boys don’t tip. Welcome to the 400th anniversary celebration of Columbus’ arrival. Its theme: Capitalistic greed.
The center of the fair is civilized, white. The outskirts, darker and savage. Shades of Conrad, and GR.
“Pavilions seemed almost to represent not nations of the world but Deadly Sins” (22). Remember the author’s NYT Book Review article on this subject.
The combination of the native and Western Capitalism “doesn’t seem…quite…authentic” (23).
Lack of light plays tricks. Is there a monte game here or “an ancient African method of divination” (23). We’ve seen séances before in GR, always in low light.
Miles, clumsy though he is, has a special ability, an ESP?, a strange capacity to reach a point of knowledge “where everything fits together, connects” (24). Is Miles Blundell a Slothrop, Pynchon’s alter ego? This is certainly a description of his aesthetic.
“Manufacturing and Liberal Arts Building” (24). The union of Capitalism and art.
We meet Nate Privett, of White City Investigations, a man concerned with anti-terrorist security. The Captain seems to strike a deal. The Chums will be carrying a passenger.
The center of the fair is civilized, white. The outskirts, darker and savage. Shades of Conrad, and GR.
“Pavilions seemed almost to represent not nations of the world but Deadly Sins” (22). Remember the author’s NYT Book Review article on this subject.
The combination of the native and Western Capitalism “doesn’t seem…quite…authentic” (23).
Lack of light plays tricks. Is there a monte game here or “an ancient African method of divination” (23). We’ve seen séances before in GR, always in low light.
Miles, clumsy though he is, has a special ability, an ESP?, a strange capacity to reach a point of knowledge “where everything fits together, connects” (24). Is Miles Blundell a Slothrop, Pynchon’s alter ego? This is certainly a description of his aesthetic.
“Manufacturing and Liberal Arts Building” (24). The union of Capitalism and art.
We meet Nate Privett, of White City Investigations, a man concerned with anti-terrorist security. The Captain seems to strike a deal. The Chums will be carrying a passenger.
posted by Stevens Amidon at 1:56 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home