MDDM18: Flower-de-Luce

[Paul Mackin]

As to the coffee house frequented by that seemingly diverse group, my
ear gave me the distinct (or at least not TOO indistinct) impression of
the writer playing around with the related ideas of magnetic, magnate,
iron, lodestone and power,  beginning with cafe's  name Flower-de-Luce,
which coming from Pynchon can be read as a reference to media magnate
Henry Luce, in addition of course to Fleur de Lys as it is associated
with the powerful French Monarchy.  So too, can't the various clientele
of the establishment be placed among this constellation of ideas.
Consumers of steel symbols of power, compass users of one sort or
another, prescribers metalic dietary supplements, etc. Except for the
watch thieves. How can they be fitted in? Maybe they're just there for
the watches.

P.


Dave Monroe wrote:

> "Dixon, as a Needle man anxious to obtain the latest
> Magnetick Intelligence of the Region that awaits them,
> Rumors reaching him of a Coffee-House frequented by
> those with an interest in the Magnetick, however it be
> manifested, shows up one night at The Flower-de-Luce,
> in Locust-Street." (M&D, Ch. 30, p. 298)
>
> And cf. The Scope in The Crying of Lot 49 ...
>
> --- Dave Monroe <davidmmonroe at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Following up on an offlist request here.
> > Flower-de-Luce, fluer-de-lys, not only ...
> >
> > http://www.heraldica.org/topics/fdl.htm
> >
> > But also ...
> >
> http://www.nmm.ac.uk/education/fact_files/fact_compass.html
> >
> > http://www.mcallen.lib.tx.us/staff/compcrd.htm
> >
> > And see as well ...
> >
> > http://bezzi.colletta.it/ETB121_125.html
>
> But I'm still curious about that "German" thing
> ("enthusiasts," "packet").  Let me know ...
>
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