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Infinite Jest by D.F. Wallace, WEEK 11
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No worries, Zulfiya! I hope your end of term pressures are over soon :-) Wow, this section ended with a cliffhanger! I do hope this is not the end for a certain character. DFW seems to enjoy almost killing his characters and then having them reappear, so I am optimistic...
1. Disturbing passages - anything with Randy Lenz in them, becoming more disturbing as we progress. Plus the stake-through-the-eye death of the Antitoi brother.
2. I think I would lose the will to continue without the hilarious and simply weird parts. I loved finally getting the explanation of the giant feral hamsters.
Re that passage, I liked the way he framed this technical explanation in the absurd scene between Pemulis and Arslanian, finally revealing Pemulis's motive for keeping the conversation dragging on so long. I thought that worked so much better than the puppets.
3. I keep thinking he must have written it in a different way - maybe one plotline at a time - or each plotline in chronological order in a different file/notebook - and then mixed up all the scenes at the end. But I have no idea, really. I imagine office walls completely covered with post-it notes, that kind of thing.
4. I agree, Avril Incandenza. I think all the women are enigmatic to some extent, including Steeply, except that I find Joelle too consciously enigmatic to be truly enigmatic.
On the subject of Avril, I loved the mention of her membership of the Militant Grammarians of Massachusetts (note 234). I wonder if they accept overseas members?
Poor Orin is so unsuspicious - the "model" with the photos of her "husband" and the "Swiss" accent that is oddly reminiscent of a Quebecois accent...
At first I assumed the character in the Hamlet role, if there was one, would be Hal, partly because he was more central and partly because of the similarity of names. But actually, I think it's Orin, isn't it?
He's the one who has the strange love-hate relationship with their mother - he obviously admires her, despite never wanting to see her again - and now he's hinting that his father's death was not suicide: "The late Stork was the victim of the most monstrous practical joke ever played."
Yes, definitely the cliffhanger we are left with!! The last episode of this week's section was a complete adrenaline rush! I loved how Erdedy was every so often noted to be just standing there with his hands up, I think with keys in hand. Being a "pretty boy" (I remember him being described as such during one of the AA meetings), he is so not the type of person to be mixed up in this type of debacle and he had no idea what to do. It was like he was frozen with inaction, because even when the situation was secure he was still standing there frozen! I also chuckled when even though Don Gately was in immense pain and could very well be bleeding to death, he makes mental notes of Joelle’s various beauty features.Yep. Randy Lenz is a total creepazoid. Although this still does not live up to the two AA stories in one of the previous week’s sections. The addicted mother with the dead baby was the most emotionally jarring section yet, and I can’t see anything surpassing that.
The funny passages are a must to counterbalance the emotional and crude sections. When you pick up this book for a nightly reading, you seriously don’t know what you’re in for as the pendulum swings so wide.
Rosemary wrote: “I liked the way he framed this technical explanation in the absurd scene between Pemulis and Arslanian, finally revealing Pemulis's motive for keeping the conversation dragging on so long. I thought that worked so much better than the puppets.”
I absolutely loved this bit!! I was wondering what the heck Pemulis was doing just talking and talking, and then when it was revealed at the end I almost smacked myself for not seeing it coming. It’s bits like this that upon a rereading of the book you can see how different the scene would come across, knowing what Pemulis’ motivation is ahead of time. And yes, this was way better than the puppet show!
OK, I don’t have my book with me so I know I’m probably missing things that I wanted to say, so until later…
Linda wrote: " When you pick up this book for a nightly reading"I don't think I'd dare read it at night for fear of nightmares! I read it in the morning, usually.
Rosemary wrote: "I don't think I'd dare read it at night for fear of nightmares!"Yeah, I know what you mean. I felt a bit weirded out after reading the Antoni brothers' death scene right before bedding down for the night.
I finally have some time to post!Linda wrote: "The addicted mother with the dead baby was the most emotionally jarring section yet, and I can’t see anything surpassing that."
Agreed, Linda. This was the worst for me, and all of the subsequent AA meeting stories are also quite bad and disturbing.
I LOVED SEEING AN EXPLANATION FOR THE FERAL HAMSTERS!! Best part for me, so far. I love these damn hamsters.
Rosemary wrote: "Poor Orin is so unsuspicious - "
I actually think, and have been for awhile, that Orin is NOT unsuspicious! I think that he knows WAY more than we think he does and is playing dumb. In fact, I'm pretty sure it is in the scene in which he is in the hotel with the suspicious swiss lady, he says that he feels ready for "furtive near-eastern medical ataches" (pg 597). This raised some serious red flags for me, and I don't know what he means (isn't the atache already dead on April 2nd YDAD, and this is Nov 11th?), but it leads me to believe he knows something about it.
I also wanted to mention that in this section, we learn that Joelle looks normal from the lips down, so if she does have a deformity, it is higher up on her face.
There is also a mention of the mold incident from Orin's POV in the footnote #234, so I am thinking this incident will prove to be more significant.
Kaycie wrote: "I LOVED SEEING AN EXPLANATION FOR THE FERAL HAMSTERS!! Best part for me, so far. I love these damn hamsters."Your Christmas present from Infinite Jest!! :D
Kaycie wrote: "In fact, I'm pretty sure it is in the scene in which he is in the hotel with the suspicious swiss lady, he says that he feels ready for "furtive near-eastern medical ataches" (pg 597)"Thanks for the page reference. I'm going to have to reread this part as I'm not sure I remember Orin mentioning the medical attaches.
Linda wrote: "I'm going to have to reread this part as I'm not sure I remember Orin mentioning the medical attaches."Just a brief mention, but it flagged my attention! He said that he felt ready for anything, including furtive near-eastern medical ataches...weird, huh? I'm interested in your interpretation!
And yup, Merry Christmas to me from IJ! Go hamsters!
Kaycie wrote: "He said that he felt ready for anything, including furtive near-eastern medical ataches...weird, huh? I'm interested in your interpretation!"To me that implied he knew Avril was involved with the medical attaché, and maybe had met him himself, but didn't know he was dead - so wasn't responsible for sending him the Entertainment.
However ... it's an interesting idea that Orin may be guilty of a lot more than I thought! I will keep that in mind!
I just finished this section...WOW! I was on the edge of my seat for that whole last chapter! This was a fantastic section.I am really happy to see Gately and Joelle have their mutual feelings acknowledged, although I'm nervous about the repercussions of the fight for Gately.
Kaycie wrote: " he says that he feels ready for "furtive near-eastern medical ataches" (pg 597)."
It was mentioned at one point - I believe it was during the "Conversationalist" interview between Hal and Himself --that Avril had a thing for this very particular group of men. Apparently she has a history with them. I do most certainly agree that Orin knows more than he is letting on, though.
I may have to give up on my mental list of favorite characters, because it's getting too crowded. Arslanian's absurdly formal way of speaking was hilarious, as was his reason for being blindfolded and the entire conversation between him and Pemulis.
Also -- MARIO SAW DON GATELY!! On his walk past the Ennet house. The two storylines are sooooo close! Such a tease, I love it :D
A random "did you notice this?": apparently James held a lucrative patent for anti-fogging glass, which seems like it is probably connected with the fact that he found out about (one of) his wife's infidelities when he saw a name scrawled in the fogged car window. I'm guessing the name was probably C.T.?
I have been reading at my desk and am way behind on work now, LOL...gotta go get back to it!
John wrote: "A random "did you notice this?": apparently James held a lucrative patent for anti-fogging glass, which seems like it is probably connected with the fact that he found out about (one of) his wife's infidelities when he saw a name scrawled in the fogged car window. I'm guessing the name was probably C.T.?"Oh yes, I forgot about this! I love these little random bits. :)
I have been reading at my desk and am way behind on work now, LOL...gotta go get back to it!
Are you reading a tree-book?? I don't think I could get away with that at my desk!
Also -- MARIO SAW DON GATELY!! On his walk past the Ennet house. The two storylines are sooooo close! Such a tease, I love it!
I know! Even if we don't have direct interactions yet, it's these little moments that keep the anticipation high.
John wrote: "It was mentioned at one point - I believe it was during the "Conversationalist" interview between Hal and Himself --that Avril had a thing for this very particular group of men. Apparently she has a history with them. I do most certainly agree that Orin knows more than he is letting on, though."John, I remembered something about this briefly before, but since I didn't write a note, I didn't know where to look. Thanks for the hint...I'll see if I can find the exact spot.
I think considering Orin's thoughts on Avril, I am more convinced that Orin in involved in something if Avril had a history with these types of men. There is just something fishy about him, and I think he can't be nearly as dumb as he comes across with all of the stuff that is happening around him.
John wrote: "The two storylines are sooooo close! Such a tease, I love it :D"
Agreed!! This is what I have been expecting throughout my reading of IJ, so I am finally, hopelessly sucked into this book! My only wish for the previous 700 some pages was that there was just a hair more of this!
Linda wrote: "Are you reading a tree-book?? I don't think I could get away with that at my desk! "Haha, no way! I read the eBook in my browser. Usually I am pretty good at keeping it to my lunch break, but this section was too good to put down :)
Also, on the subject of Mario's walk past the Ennett house: that whole chapter was a really touching and sad reflection on how people come to fear sincerity. This seems to be a pretty clear statement of one of DFW's biggest themes in this book and it really resonates coming from Mario.
Zulfiya wrote: "3. How much effort does it take to plot something as complex as IJ? ...It is not exactly the plot line, but the structure of the novel."What is amazing to me, in addition to this, is the intricate detail that Wallace gives to such a massive variety of subjects.
You can easily tell when an author is writing about a subject that they have done intensive research about, and in Wallace's case this seems to include every imaginable aspect of the story. And yet, apparently he wrote it in only 3 years?
John wrote: "You can easily tell when an author is writing about a subject that they have done intensive research about, and in Wallace's case this seems to include every imaginable aspect of the story. And yet, apparently he wrote it in only 3 years? "Well, much of this book is actually semi-autobiographical for Wallace, no? He was a serious tennis player that also had a problem with alcohol (and maybe other drugs??) and was in AA, suffered from depression, and had spent time in a halfway house. Gately is apparently based on a real person he met during his time there, so I bet other characters are as well. Those are the more detailed parts of the story, and I bet his experiences in them are way more valuable than any research. It could also explain the short time frame for writing.
I think knowing that is what makes this book hit so hard for me...especially the stories of addicts at the AA meetings. Knowing what I know about Wallace makes me think that they are probably true stories. What a view into this world for an outsider!
Rosemary wrote: "Kaycie wrote: "He said that he felt ready for anything, including furtive near-eastern medical ataches...weird, huh? I'm interested in your interpretation!"To me that implied he knew Avril was in..."
I was under the impression Orin was aware of the relationship between Avril and the Attache...I think he was the one who sent the entertainment cartridge from Tucson AZ. Up to this point three, maybe four copies have been found in Boston, Berkley, somewhere in LA, I think...Wonder where those were sent from.
I think Orin knows what "he's" doing, however, I don't think he realizes the magnitude of the repercussions around him. I don't think he has the foresight for an endgame...We'll see :)
Linda wrote: "Yes, definitely the cliffhanger we are left with!! The last episode of this week's section was a complete adrenaline rush! I loved how Erdedy was every so often noted to be just standing there wi..."Parking Lot Debaucle
The best part of this whole section, I thought. This is a great book, but that's the most excitement I've had while reading it, definitely. I too found Erdeddy's part, or lack there of, as opposing parties conglomerated as a result of Lenz's heinous escapade...Every time you looked over, Erdeddy had his hands up in the air and all of sudden JvD is climbing out her window hanging from tree! LOL! Ennet House made Unit 5 (is this the right building, the one with the schizophrenics) seem calm for one night at least.
John wrote: "I just finished this section...WOW! I was on the edge of my seat for that whole last chapter! This was a fantastic section.I am really happy to see Gately and Joelle have their mutual feelings ac..."
A random "did you notice this?": apparently James held a lucrative patent for anti-fogging glass, which seems like it is probably connected with the fact that he found out about (one of) his wife's infidelities when he saw a name scrawled in the fogged car window. I'm guessing the name was probably C.T.?
Hmmm...Why C.T.?
Ami wrote: "Hmmm...Why C.T.? "Well, as far as we know Tavis is the only one of Avril's extramarital affairs whose name James would be familiar with. And it seemed, from the way it was described, that the name must have been familiar? It is definitely speculation without much behind it, it's just the impression I got.
John wrote: "Ami wrote: "Hmmm...Why C.T.? "Well, as far as we know Tavis is the only one of Avril's extramarital affairs whose name James would be familiar with. And it seemed, from the way it was described, ..."
Great! Would you mind telling me where this was described, I missed this...When you have a free moment, of course. Thanks.
Ami wrote: "Would you mind telling me where this was described, I missed this...When you have a free moment, of course. Thanks."NP! It's in footnote 80.
John wrote: "Ami wrote: "Would you mind telling me where this was described, I missed this...When you have a free moment, of course. Thanks."NP! It's in footnote 80."
Ahhh-hahhh! Yes, I do remember reading this... I guess I didn't interpret it like you did. You're right, James would be familiar with C.T.'s name, but I don't recall where it was confirmed he was one of Avril's paramours?
I actually thought FN 80 had more to do with Orin than Avril; for the sole fact she had 'apparently' been with somebody and Orin wouldn't deny, or confirm it. I didn't consider it absolute. Also, Joelle says on 228, she never slept with Jim.
Up to this point, taking into account what I know and feel about Orin, I think FN 80 is rather indicative of his vindictive nature,
Ami wrote: "I don't recall where it was confirmed he was one of Avril's paramours?"Page 451, Tavis says that it's "not entirely impossible he may have fathered" Mario.
Ami wrote: "for the sole fact she had 'apparently' been with somebody and Orin wouldn't deny, or confirm it."
I'm pretty sure that footnote 80 is one big run-on sentence, so it's definitely confusing. Actually, James was the one who saw the name in the car:
"...but had reappeared the next time the window had steamed up, which had been when James had been driving"
I'm assuming Orin only knew about this either because he had been in the car with James, or he had been privy to whatever fallout happened afterwards. When it says Orin "would not say who", I think this only means he would not discuss it w/ Hal.
As far as James and Joelle's relationship being innocent: the footnote says that Orin knew, and Avril did not know. Nowhere does it say that Orin is willfully withholding the information -- more likely they just have not discussed it. I don't think people often discuss their parents' sex lives with them :) And at that point Orin may not be speaking to her anyway.
John wrote: "Ami wrote: "I don't recall where it was confirmed he was one of Avril's paramours?"Page 451, Tavis says that it's "not entirely impossible he may have fathered" Mario.
Ami wrote: "for the sole f..."
"not entirely impossible,"means a possibility, it's not 100%. Also, if you think about it in terms of genetics and the chromosomal diversity available between a Half-brother and sister, Mario would not be the product of this type of union...I don't think. His handicaps are far too severe.
Orin didn't deny or confirm Avril was in the vehicle with somebody and I thought it was because she never was...I mean really, could you picture her doing something crazy like that?
The whole fogging up of the windshied brought me back to when we get our first real glimpse of Orin...When he was in Phoenix, I think, after just having had sex with a "Subject..." His bathroom floor was littered drinking glasses trapping roaches and suffocating them by the steam of their own roach oxide (45). This (fog, steam, glass, windshield) is why I thought the whole FN was about Orin, instead of about Avril and her "supposed" paramour. It probably doesn't mean anything at all, it's just what I thought at the time.
John wrote: "Page 451, Tavis says that it's "not entirely impossible he may have fathered" Mario."Ami wrote: ""not entirely impossible,"means a possibility, it's not 100%."
I think what John was getting at, and how I looked at this quote at the time, was that a possibility meant that C.T. must have had sexual relations with Avril at some point. Otherwise, it would have been impossible, not "not entirely impossible" that he could have fathered Mario.
I agree with your assessment of Mario's severe defects, though, that they don't really match up with Avril and C.T. being his parents. Unless something other than just genetics is at play here.
I think DFW likes to put as many avenues of possibilities into play for us to try and figure out, and this is just one example of that. And just as I typed that I realized that was such an obvious statement!!
Linda wrote: "John wrote: "Page 451, Tavis says that it's "not entirely impossible he may have fathered" Mario."Ami wrote: ""not entirely impossible,"means a possibility, it's not 100%."
I think what John wa..."
Zulfiya asked the question, something along the lines of and quite some time ago, if the revelation of chronological subsidized time has made reading since any easier...Honestly, I don't think it even mattered because I have more questions now, than I did to begin with, chronology of events aside. So, to your point about having many avenues and possibilities, you're spot on...This really is a choose your adventure!
Linda wrote: "C.T. must have had sexual relations with Avril at some point"Thank you Linda -- yes, the point is that C.T. and Avril were sexually involved. Mario's parentage isn't really relevant to what we're currently talking about.
Ami wrote: "Orin didn't deny or confirm Avril was in the vehicle with somebody and I thought it was because she never was"
"Jim hadn't known the precise reason why Avril was so sanguine about their not being intimate until the incident with the Volvo"
Clearly the narrator is insinuating that Avril is guilty here. James is the one who saw the name on the window, so Orin is only a tertiary party here. I think the use of the word "apparently" is meant more to show that we are hearing about this third-hand, and NOT to insinuate that the infidelity may not have happened.
John wrote: "Linda wrote: "C.T. must have had sexual relations with Avril at some point"Thank you Linda -- yes, the point is that C.T. and Avril were sexually involved. Mario's parentage isn't really relevant..."
You quoted the line from 451 which was in part a reference to Mario, this is why I added it in reply to you. I know Mario's paternity has nothing to do with the FN.
"Jim hadn't known..."
My interpretation and yours are completely different that's why I wanted to know how yours was derived...CT and all that mess. That's all :)
"Clearly the narrator..."
Clearly, yes, that is what the narrator wants you to believe...I read more into it, at the time... Obviously. Thanks for clearing everything up!
I've just got to add before my other comments that this section started out with the return of the unflushable turd. (maybe it was the same one...) Oh yes!Someone in that house has some serious excretory habits.
Any bets on who it is?
DFW you do make me laugh.
1. Have you read any passage so far that was the most emotionally disturbing? Was it in this section? Lenz - what a nut job. I love animals, dogs especially, so this was rather tough for me to read. And then later I wanted him dead and was worried that instead of him dying Don would go instead. I'd have been prepared to dive into the pages and strangle him myself if that happened.
2. The fabric of this novel contains not only confusing parts, but also hilarious and simply 'weird' parts How much do they help to relieve the pressure of the big narrative?
They make the novel for me. I love the crazy.
3. How much effort does it take to plot something as complex as IJ? i know, it is a general question, but by that time, you possibly start asking the same question as I do. It is not exactly the plot line, but the structure of the novel. What to put and where, and which information should be put in footnotes and which of them should be cross-referenced?
So much work. So, so much work. A book that seems as wild as IJ and is actually so incredibly detailed that it seems to me just about every word has significance really blows my mind. My hat is off to DFW, may he rest in peace.
4. Is there any character in the novel so far who is the most enigmatic? To me, this is Mrs. Incandenza. She is the true enigma that only a woman can be. She is darkly but also a symbol of light for her children. She is intelligent but also down-to-earth. Her sexual life is also a point of permanent speculation.
Definitely Avril. I really like that character even though she's a minor one relatively.
Most characters are mysteries though as the book 'shows' through actions generally and doesn't 'tell'. We don't often get inside a characters head and then usually only for minor things or for stuff that could be misinterpreted. So nearly everyone is more or less mysterious in a book as twisty as this one.
The discussion between Mike Pemulis and Idris Arlsanian was delightful. And once again the humour involved toilet humour in some form or other. DFW must be making a point here.Orin slowly gets an inkling of a clue about the wheelchairs which are following him around. I think he is walking on a precipice that boy. It's lucky he's so high profile and would be missed if he disappeared. I no longer think those guys are funny in any way or form. Not that I'd be 'too' upset if something happened to Orin I sometimes think; we have another instance of cruelty towards little Mario.
There's a section on Mario and how much he likes things to be 'real' for example the radio show and Ennet House. Possibly because his home life isn't - and all of the interaction between his parents (the two acknowledged ones) and his siblings is probably crazy with tension of what is going on behind the scenes and what isn't said. In contrast the Drug halfway house would be open and raw but very real. And Madame P's show as well where it seems like she just says anything that comes into her head.
I'm not sure what the significance of the atheist joke and Hals behaviour was. Something has probably happened re the timeline and I've missed it. Anyone else able to clear this up? John? -) Is it the aftermath of the game fallout perhaps? The John and Avril fun and games?
I like the way DFW always cuts up his scenes if they are long and we gets bits interspersed with other stories. I'd have to check but are they always on the same time line? So you can get a sense of 'while this is happening here, at the same time this is happening there'. In that way you can see that the stories are all happening in the same world and at some point they will all interconnect.
I found the next part with Orin interesting from many standpoints. There was the phycological statement about him only being able to give and not receive pleasure and how his second favourite part of sex was the aftermath with 'the subject' clinging and being vulnerable. That creeped me out. And then there was the statement about being able to handle swiss cuckolds, middle eastern attaches (say what?!) and zaftig journalists. I had to look zaftig up :-)
He then runs into another wheelchair guy but doesn't seem at all disturbed. He states that he misses very little but I'm not so sure... He does think about things afterwards but what exactly does he make of them?
The car switching was classic. All in all another great section and as I am reading this in large chunks there was no cliff hanger for me. One of the few benefits about starting so far behind eveyone else!
Rosemary wrote: At first I assumed the character in the Hamlet role, if there was one, would be Hal, partly because he was more central and partly because of the similarity of names. But actually, I think it's Orin, isn't it? "I think so; I think I came to that conclusion about section 4? Hal is weird in his own way but he doesn't have some mummy fixation so far as we can see. Not that that was exactly a major part of Hamlet anyway!
Rosemary wrote: he's hinting that his father's death was not suicide: "The late Stork was the victim of the most monstrous practical joke ever played." ."That might not mean that though. I considered it but, well, Orin does have a habit of being dramatic.
Kaycie wrote: I actually think, and have been for awhile, that Orin is NOT unsuspicious! I think that he knows WAY more than we think he does and is playing dumb."
You give Orin far more credit than I do! I don't think he's brain dead exactly but I don't think he's very clever and far more importantly he sees things through his distorted world lens. Lots of men in wheelchairs, they must be fans too shy to approach. It's just a way to get my signature. Wow. Egotistical much?
Kaycie wrote: "There is also a mention of the mold incident from Orin's POV in the footnote #234, so I am thinking this incident will prove to be more significant. "Those notes were very interesting. First we have the statement that his mom is 'bats' and that Hal is leashed tightly to her and doesn't even recognise it really because he's too close to her. And we have his sneering statements about poor little Mario and how his Mom worships him and how he's some sort of mirror to the mess she's made of her life. Really nasty unempathetic comments.
To him everything his mother does is false, a front, a pretence about being a good mother. Including the mould where he doesn't even really explain why this is such a prime example of everything that is wrong with The Moms. To Orin it's so obvious it doesn't need proper explaining, he just has to repeat what happened and everyone will see it the same way he does.
We also know from previous comments that Hal and Orin remember this scene differently.
Ami wrote: I was under the impression Orin was aware of the relationship between Avril and the Attache...I think he was the one who sent the entertainment cartridge from Tucson AZ. Up to this point three, maybe four copies have been found in Boston, Berkley, somewhere in LA, I think...Wonder where those were sent from."Wow, interesting theory!
Ami wrote: "I think Orin know what "he's" doing, however, I don't think he realizes the magnitude of the repercussions around him. I don't think he has the foresight for an endgame...We'll see :) ."
Well I'd certainly agree with that. He's not stupid so much as rather obsessed only with what concerns him directly. Another form of mental illness probably. The most normal person in this book is Mario, his afflictions are physical rather than mental!
Ami wrote:Ahhh-hahhh! Yes, I do remember reading this... I guess I didn't interpret it like you did. You're right, James would be familiar with C.T.'s name, but I don't recall where it was confirmed he was one of Avril's paramours?"There have been lots of suggestions throughout the book even before the statement about Mario's paternity. The discussions about how CT's room and Avrils are next to each other has been stressed a fair amount. That's one of the things I love about his book, so much is hinted at and if you are paying attention (I usually am not) you can pick up easter eggs all over the place.
John wrote:A random "did you notice this?": apparently James held a lucrative patent for anti-fogging glass, which seems like it is probably connected with the fact that he found out about (one of) his wife's infidelities when he saw a name scrawled in the fogged car window. I'm guessing the name was probably C.T.?"Oh good spotting John!
Nicola wrote: "The most normal person in this book is Mario, his afflictions are physical rather than mental!"Yeah, I love Mario. :)
Nicola wrote: " There was the phycological statement about him only being able to give and not receive pleasure and how his second favourite part of sex was the aftermath with 'the subject' clinging and being vulnerable."Hmmm, thanks for pointing this out, Nicola. I forgot he had said this, and now it has me thinking a bit about why (view spoiler).
1. Have you read any passage so far that was the most emotionally disturbing? Was it in this section?
2. The fabric of this novel contains not only confusing parts, but also hilarious and simply 'weird' parts How much do they help to relieve the pressure of the big narrative?
3. How much effort does it take to plot something as complex as IJ? i know, it is a general question, but by that time, you possibly start asking the same question as I do. It is not exactly the plot line, but the structure of the novel. What to put and where, and which information should be put in footnotes and which of them should be cross-referenced?
4. Is there any character in the novel so far who is the most enigmatic? To me, this is Mrs. Incandenza. She is the true enigma that only a woman can be. She is darkly but also a symbol of light for her children. She is intelligent but also down-to-earth. Her sexual life is also a point of permanent speculation.
Again, please excuse my late post.