MDDM Ch. 5: There was this Jesuit...

[Terrance]

John Bailey wrote:
> 
> >From: jbor <jbor at bigpond.com>
> 
> <snip>
> 
> >I suspect that Pynchon's interest in the biographies of mathematicians (cf.
> >the next novel) made him aware of Father Boscovich ("young Boscovich
> >discovered for himself the proof of the theorem of Pythagoras"), and that's
> >how the name comes to be slipped in here.
> >
> >I don't mean to downplay the possibilities for religious interpretation,
> >but
> >in this case I don't think there's that much to it. (A little "devil's
> >advocacy" does no harm, eh?) But I agree that the historical detail being
> >referenced in the text needs to be noted. The main backdrop to the opening
> >section of the tale is the Seven Years War, of course: the Battle at
> >Quiberon Boy has been explicitly mentioned three times so far, while the
> >actual stopover of the *Seahorse* at Tenerife passes by totally unnoticed.
> >Ultimately, it is Pynchon's choice as to what Wicks does and does not
> >narrate, and what is foregrounded within that narration.
> >
> 
> Yep, I agree, jbor, but I can't help but think that the continuing
> references to the Jesuits in M&D (much more to come!) signify more than
> historical detail, and act as a kind of touchstone of the 'literary'
> paranoia which has been discussed a little recently (and very well might I
> add). 

SNIP

I guess I agree with both of you. 

These pieces of someone else's history are very important. 

For example (and the jokes are just piled up here, coal mining etc.)
Dixon mentions that Friends were tossed out of the Quaker Society
because they were married by a priest. 
The Quakers were persecuted, were named specifically identified in some
of the  marriage laws because of their matrimonial practices. So in
sense, a Quaker being tossed out of the Society of Friends because he
was a married by a priest is painfully ironic. Of course many Quakers
after being married in their simply manner were "officially married" by
a priest because they did not want to be (or their "illegitimate
children to be) discriminated against or worse. I also suspect that the
Family names Dixon mentions are names Pynchon took from Quaker minutes.
That would be fun reading. I've read quite a few of these. All Long
Island record. One of dear friends, a Friend who is married to a
Catholic, is for ever reminding me that the Quaker marriages prohibited
the Sect from growing in America. But that's another point. 

Anyway, the Jesuit's were also tossed out. After the Suppression of the
Jesuits Boscavich became captain of optics in the French navy  and he
was able to travel through France using a salvus conductus given him by
Louis XV. 

oops goota go....

I have to stick to M&D now, I really do. I feel like a jackass
discussing this other stuff. It made me feel a little better, got out a
little anger, learned some, but I looked up at the Empire State tonight
and I said to myself, well if the Yankees win the series they will have
to close the red lights for at least one night, and I thought, how
vulgar of me to...and I cried and walked down the stairs at 18th street
and I got on the subway downtown and I went to see them, but they are
gone and it hurts. 

And the tears are red
and white
and yellow
and blue
and pink
and roses
and candles
they wilt
they trickle
and melt
down cheeks
red 
and white 
and yellow 
and brown
down prayer books
closely folded
on breasts
and hearts 
grief-stricken 
and broken
and tears
and colors run
on faces pasted
around an armory
on firehouse bricks
on lampposts
on mailboxes
on hope
on fear
while new york candle alters 
light these faces
reflected in puddles
in splintered steel
in shattered glass
in millions of memories
smoldering like wicks
in the winds off the harbor
where their tall shadows 
are not cast
but have gone
to the heavens