MDDM 63 Thunder and Stogies

[jbor]

Sam wrote:

> 618-1 Mason reports a "great Storm of Thunder and Lightning..."
> 
> Thunderstorms in Pynchon... GR: Back to Berlin, with a terrific thunderstorm
> blowing over the city.  (433 in my Penguin)  Also 663 on Thanatz out in the
> storm to see if he can be struck by lightning.  In V. we have a hard rain
> developing in the first of Stencils eight impersonations of chapter 3.
> 
> Any significance to thunderstorms in Pynchon?

There was that other thunderstorm near Peach Bottom Ferry back in Ch. 47.

    "I am assuming that I may be confident of my Safety here," Dixon
    puffing, "the entire issue of Lightning in America having been resolv'd
    by your Friend Dr Franklin, who draws it off at will, as easy as Ale
    from a Cask.... Ah have got that correct, haven't Ah...?" (463.3-7)

Then, the "perpendicular streaks" of lightning which "step across the
Landscape" were compared to some "miles-high Electrickal Insect, whose
footfalls are Thunder-Claps". (462-3)

And there's Ben Franklin (as "Death", scythe in hand) and the merry danse
macabre he leads out into the thunderstorm, and the "Night's Main Drama", at
the end of Ch. 29 (pp. 294-5)

But, as regards the ongoing Theist/Deist dialectic between Chas and Jere
(which is spot on here I think) cf. also 46.5.

best