V.V. (19?) The "church key"

[jbor]

It's interesting that Roony has been exposing himself on the church steps 
(St Patrick's Cathedral), and "scaring little kids" (416.26), while Rachel's
been at church, "praying" for Benny. (417.24: Benny = benevolence?) But she
was at the wrong church (a synagogue?), as Profane quips, motioning to where
the vagrant Roony is sleeping.

But I'm more interested in Officer Ten Eyck, "cool as any old-movie's
international jewel thief" (417.1), who also cropped up back in Chapter 13
(as the narrator helpfully informs us at 416.26) with Patrolman Steve Jones
with the funny tone mark on top of the final "s" in his surname.

Ten Eyck is a Dutch name (Pennsylvania Dutch?, I think, and if I recall
correctly the name also figures in Joe Orton's 'Loot', (written and
performed a couple of years after the publication of _V._ I think). The two
cops were a bit of a comedy duo back then, and Officer Ten Eyck isn't such a
bad guy here either. Perhaps the "received wisdom" that Pynchon is always
and without exception anti-cop isn't so accurate after all? There certainly
seems to be something going on here to do with ethnic diversity in the NYPD.

best

----------
>From: "jbor" <jbor at bigpond.com>
>To: pynchon-l at waste.org
>Subject: V.V. (19?) The "church key"
>Date: Thu, Jun 21, 2001, 7:21 AM
>

>
>     Paola, holding the church key, turned to gaze past Profane's left
>     ear at what glittered in Stencil's hand. (416.4)
>
> Had to look that one up. A "church key" is a device with a triangular point
> at one end for making holes in the tops of cans.
>
> Stop Press: Pynchon writes about beer, is therefore a "beer writer"?
>
> : )
>
> best