--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, Kevin Burton Smith <kvnsmith@...> wrote:
>
> Oh-so-French Steve wrote:
>
> > No some people donšt watch TV or at least not the crap you describe...
>
> But Thomas Pynchon does. He even appeared on The Simpsons.
>
> Evidently, Pynchon doesn't sneer at Americans and their pop culture
> (of which he's very much a part) quite as much as some of his more
> elitist fans do.
>
I don't think he has many elitist fans, though I have known quite a few people who were obsessed with Pynchonia, all the way down to weird conspiracy theories. Quite apart from nuts, some academics have latched on to the structure of his books and squeezed as much published yardage as they could out of the Pynchon universe.
As an ordinary reader, I just enjoy reading Pynchon. I find his material and style intriguing and lasting, and I also enjoy his sense of humor, which is direct, not subtle, but very effective (at least, it works on me). Likewise, his characterization is not subtle, it's overt and even cartoonish (as pointed out by Patrick).
I see nothing of the elite in Pynchon. He strikes me as a very clever guy with an uncanny feel for the pulse of the country he lives in and for its people and its language. Summary: great writer. I think this is not even seriously debatable at this late date.
mrt
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