GRGR(5) Katje and the Nazis

[rj]

> Howdy,

back at ya

> Can't say as I understand fully what all the fuss is about here,
> either.  Even WITH an apostrophe the SS reference would remain
> unmistakable.
> Mark

Hmm. Let's see:

... cast-iron pulleys whose spokes are shaped like Ss.

... cast-iron pulleys whose spokes are shaped like S's.

I'm happy to see the first (actual) version as a possible graphological
allusion, the second hardly so. (Which makes the fact that Pynchon chose
to use the first style rather than the second significant.) But, it's
not technically a reference either, just a coincidence of lettering.
There's no analogy or metaphor being made between the pulleys, or the
spokes, or anything else in the sentence, and the SS, is there?
(Although, now that I think about it ...?) If we assume it to be a
*definite*, intentional reference then it suddenly becomes a pretty
gratuitous and weak and unPynchonian one, doesn't it?

best