whole sick crew

[David Morris]

I agree.  The term is not Pynchon's, and common usage would not necessarily 
be pejorative.  In fact common usage would more likely be endearing.  I 
guess this whole thread is about trying to figure out which usage Pynchon 
intended for this WSC.  I'd say it's a little of both.

DM

>David Simpson wrote:
>
> > Wha? Not sure what you're suggesting. But "Whole," as in "Whole Sick 
>Crew," surely does mean "entire" or "complete" (as in "whole ball of wax," 
>"whole darn thing," etc.) WSC was a popular expression for assorted 
>collections of rogues, scamps, and renegades throughout the 50's and early 
>60's. Am not sure of it's origin (would guess that it's naval), but the 
>usage certainly enjoyed a long and popular existence prior to _V_ and 
>outside fiction.
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