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Post by connorswauger on Jun 17, 2024 4:32:07 GMT
One thing that I noticed while reading the interrogation scene between Hollingsworth and McLeod, was hoe Hollingsworth is treating McLeod like prey in a sense. McLeod is for sure a former member of some other sketchy agenda, but the way that Hollingsworth is going after him and basically trying to corner him by way of intimidation and mind games is also sketchy. I haven’t quite finished the reading myself, but I think there is a connection being drawn between Hollingsworth and how America treated those who thought different politically. Especially in this time, Communism was sought out and persecuted and a lot of people were falsely accused. One example that I can think of was the Lavender Scare where homosexuality was linked with communism leading to many government workers being outed and fired from their jobs.
This makes me think that Mailer is saying that the United State’s way of handling things didn’t exactly make them the good guy either.
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Post by shelbygraham on Jun 17, 2024 13:17:48 GMT
The interrogation scenes also remind me of how most of America targeted people and were overly cautious with anyone who had political beliefs resembling communism at all. The book definitely shows how the entire country reacted in the aftermath of the war, and I think that was Mailer's intention, as you've stated. It was probably a very scary time to live. I think the other characters, not just Holllingsworth, also mirror how a lot of America responded to different political views. Lannie also felt as strongly and vicious toward McLeod as Hollingsworth. However, Lovett seems to be on the fence? I'm not quite sure about him.
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Post by Dr. Nemmers on Jun 17, 2024 16:23:48 GMT
Right on, Shelby. And Connor, you're on the mark as well--- we're very much seeing that during the post-war period (late forties and early fifties) the U. S. had a ton of stress and anxiety about the specter of Communism (one reason why it was termed the "Age of Anxiety). A few high-profile cases of Soviet spies had been uncovered immediately after the war, and suddenly people were looking for Communist agents everywhere, the onset of the Red Scare. This also ushered in this period of conformity that we've all seen in sitcoms and films thereafter.
Most of you were probably too young to remember the period right after 9/11, but that was a similar period with regard to Muslim terrorists-- everyone was suspect and anyone who looked suspicious was surveilled by CIA/ secret police.
I think you're right, as well about Lovett--- we're "not quite sure about him." Supposedly he was in the U. S. military, but he also had some Communist/Socialist sympathies some decades ago (he thinks?). Perhaps because of his amnesia, he isn't quite sure about himself either.
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Post by meagangcurrie on Jun 20, 2024 0:33:11 GMT
I like your thoughts on it and can see the connection. After World War 2, and the Cold War beginning, fear of communism began to spread quickly. Another thing I noticed with the interrogation is that McLeod used to be sly and collected but once Hollingsworth discovered his secrets, he began to break. It seemed at the beginning of the novel, Hollingsworth seemed like a friendly and polite man. The tables soon turned and Hollingsworth is now the one above McLeod.
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