Brain Pain discussion

This discussion covers Part III, Chapter 1, 2, 3, & 4


Part III, Chapter 1

“There are many Manii at Aricia.”

Otto flees to Central America and gets konked on the knoggin.



Part III, Chapter 2

“Miss Potter, where is God?”
“He is everywhere,” replied Miss Potter with dignity.
“But, my dear Maiden,” exclaimed His Highness, planting himself firmly on one of the chairs, “what good is that to me?”
- Ackerley, Hindoo Holiday


Benny takes a leap from faith, Agnes, from a hotel window. Mr. Pivner and Eddie Zefnic get pinched. Ed Feasley bemoans the diaspora of the village people. Stanley and Esme roam to Rome.



Part III, Chapter 3

¡Así por la calle pasa quien debe amor!

[Just along the street he happens to love!]

- Lope de Vega, Amar sin saber a quién


Two counterfeiters meet in a Spanish graveyard (stop me if you’ve heard this one), and one, Mr. Yak, sees an opportunity to atone for a past sin while also making a nice score. A phony Romanian (Mr. Yak) will attempt to sell a phony mummy (a soon-supposed-to-be-beatified corpse of a dead Spanish girl) to a phony Egyptologist (Mr. Kuvleti). Meanwhile, a phony Swiss tourist (Stephen Asche) wrestles with the fact that his not-phony mother’s corpse (Camilla from chapter 1) has been mistaken for the dead 11-year-old (see above, ‘phony mummy’). And none of them seem to care what happens to poor Pastora. No wait, let me start over…



Part III, Chapter 4

If the sun and moon should doubt,
They’d immediately go out.
- Blake

Stanley and Esme continue to lurch and roll across the sea. The ship stops to rescue a group of shipwrecked sailors, but despite their efforts, one must be returned to the sea. Stanley gets to see Naples, but only from the deck of the ship.


To avoid spoilers, please restrict your comments to Part III, Chapter 1, 2, 3, & 4 (and the earlier chapters)

Just checking in-I continue to follow this discussion with interest, but have had nothing of value to add. :#

Ellie wrote: "Just checking in-I continue to follow this discussion with interest, but have had nothing of value to add. :#"

When we do the wrap-up in 2 weeks, would love to hear your overall impressions and how it felt to finally finish the book.

Any thoughts about Benny's suicide? I'm not sure I felt his motivation was clear. Maybe his diatribe against the critic in Part 2, Chapter 7 pushed him to the breaking point. Agnes Deigh's attempt seemed more believable somehow...

It seems to me that almost anyone in Gaddis' world who experiences a setback of any kind would be vulnerable to suicide since there is little that sustains them, even when they are successful (in getting things they want). Except for the counterfeit doctor that is. He seems resilient.

That being said, I was a little surprised by Benny. He didn't seem especially sensitive. But he did lack imagination, I think, to find satisfaction in life. But then they all, mostly, do.

Agnes is so highly strung, especially as the story continues, that I agree it is much more believable. And she has more pressing concerns. Or so it seems to me.

I thought it was almost running into Wyatt that sent Benny on his course. After hearing Wyatt had been there he got agitated, which seemed to precipitate his smack-down of the critic. He started looking at the book of bridge designs and desperately saying how "he could do it and I couldn't do it", then talking about how in his business you give everything you've got to one show and them throw it out. So, depressed over his lack of talent, I think Benny decided to insert himself into his one great creation, the staged suicide off of the church.

Whitney wrote: "I thought it was almost running into Wyatt that sent Benny on his course. After hearing Wyatt had been there he got agitated, which seemed to precipitate his smack-down of the critic. He started lo..."

I can see that. I'll have to re-read that section and see what clues I missed. TR is pretty dense...

Just went back and reread-thanks Whitney. Nice catch!

Shame that I missed this discussion. Read the Recognitions on my own around this time and I still remember it vividly. One of the few things I've read that really deserves to be called a masterpiece.