I think on my first reading of it I believed many of the historical characters were Pynchon creations. But this book more than any other has way fewer characters created by him than real people. Even down to minor homesteaders that M&D meet along the way in America.
Another cogent and, if I may say so, almost prescient analysis.
I was particularly struck by your phrase, "But as always, the average folk will be expected to fix the mistakes of those above us not due to any contractual obligations or even for a reward, but merely because we have been trained to believe we must do so and because it would breed ill will against us if we were to not," which could almost serve as a commentary to my own career. Hopefully it doesn't reflect your own life experience as well.
Thank you🙏 it has definitely had to do with jobs in my past, but thankfully not my current teaching job. I will be looking for a new job in a few weeks though after I move states, so wish me luck in that sector…
By the way, before I read the annotations, I thought Maskelyne was a made up character because of his absurdly Pynchonian name.
I think on my first reading of it I believed many of the historical characters were Pynchon creations. But this book more than any other has way fewer characters created by him than real people. Even down to minor homesteaders that M&D meet along the way in America.
Another cogent and, if I may say so, almost prescient analysis.
I was particularly struck by your phrase, "But as always, the average folk will be expected to fix the mistakes of those above us not due to any contractual obligations or even for a reward, but merely because we have been trained to believe we must do so and because it would breed ill will against us if we were to not," which could almost serve as a commentary to my own career. Hopefully it doesn't reflect your own life experience as well.
Thank Glub I'm (mostly semi-) retired now.
Thank you🙏 it has definitely had to do with jobs in my past, but thankfully not my current teaching job. I will be looking for a new job in a few weeks though after I move states, so wish me luck in that sector…
And thank you for the kind words as well!