M&D 157

[davemarc]

Was Re: M & D sources/clocks
>
> 

>
>

>
> 

>
> 

>
> 
> davemarc writes:
> > 
> >It struck me that there were similarities between Sobel and Pynchon, but
I
> >think the ur-source is horology-talk.  It appears to be common for
> >horologists to personify clocks.

John Mascaro writes

>  davemarc as usual adds a new dimension to the thought of sources--I
din't know there 
> was a horological tradition of the talking clock.  Can you point me to
any other instance?  I
>  guess you must be correct for the further reeason that such a tradition
would explain how
>  Sobel, otherwise a pretty banal writer IMO, came up with such a good
metaphor (failing, 
> as usual these days with so many writers, to give credit to the source).
> 
I still like that Sobel book....

Anyway, regarding a tradition of personification (that actually isn't
limited to horologists), I'll start with several terms:  hands, face,
grandfather, Big Ben, night watchmen (the guys who'd call out or otherwise
announce the time in villages).  And let's not forget the central metaphor
of a certain book by Anthony Burgess.  Then there's M&D's own passage on
page 155:

"One by one the girls have grown up believing the Vroom Clock, a long-case
heirloom brought from Holland, to be a living Creature, conscious of
itself, and of them, too, with its hooded Face, its heartbeat, the bearing
of a solemn Messenger....They call it 'Boet,'--the traditional name, here
for an elder Brother."

As for potential sources, there are numerous books on horology, some of
which are listed in Sobel's book.  And then there are the many horology
websites.  A great place to start is http://www.horology.com/.

Anyway, I've sent a note to a clock guy to get his opinion.  Though I'm
keeping myself quite busy campaigning for the Presidency, performing magic
tricks for kiddies, and being an unwitting tool of American propaganda
techniques, I'll try to keep Pynchonites informed of any response I
receive.

davemarc