Difference between revisions of "Chapter 42: 422-435"
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==Page 428== | ==Page 428== | ||
'''A Polaris of Evil'''<br> | '''A Polaris of Evil'''<br> | ||
| − | At the time of Mason & Dixon, | + | At the time of Mason & Dixon, Polaris only literally meant the North Star: "Polaris" comes from Stella Polaris, the Latin form of its common name "Pole Star". The rarely used Greek name Cynosura (Κυνόσουρα) means "tail of the dog". <br> |
Polaris was the name of a famous guided missile system in the 20th Century.<br> | Polaris was the name of a famous guided missile system in the 20th Century.<br> | ||
| − | Here, North as the place from which death and destruction comes in Pynchon's world is clearly | + | Here, North as the place from which death and destruction comes in Pynchon's world is clearly alluded to and what is another negative allusion to "man's best friend" may be implied. There is Pugnax the dog in ATD. Arguably, dogs are symbols of the bourgeoisie in Pynchon, complicit in mankind's war-making History in TRP's vision. |
| − | "man's best friend" may be implied. There is Pugnax in ATD. Arguably, dogs | + | |
| − | are symbols of the bourgeoisie in Pynchon, complicit in | + | |
Revision as of 05:20, 27 April 2007
Page 427
Dutch Rifle
Dutch rifle wheellock, circa 1630: The jaw is normally tightened with the same spanner used to cock the lock. This being a "Dutch" lock.
Page 428
A Polaris of Evil
At the time of Mason & Dixon, Polaris only literally meant the North Star: "Polaris" comes from Stella Polaris, the Latin form of its common name "Pole Star". The rarely used Greek name Cynosura (Κυνόσουρα) means "tail of the dog".
Polaris was the name of a famous guided missile system in the 20th Century.
Here, North as the place from which death and destruction comes in Pynchon's world is clearly alluded to and what is another negative allusion to "man's best friend" may be implied. There is Pugnax the dog in ATD. Arguably, dogs are symbols of the bourgeoisie in Pynchon, complicit in mankind's war-making History in TRP's vision.
