MDDM Ch. 40 Trinity Church

[jbor]

The same thing struck me just looking at the various photos I found while
researching for the chapter. It's a particularly *symbolic* image in and of
itself, and I it's quite a deliberate inclusion.

I'm wondering a few things here. Is this the first mention of New York in
the novel? It's certainly the first *glimpse* I think, so the choice of the
first sights Mason sees is very significant (the themes of religion and
commerce are very much to the fore in these chapters, and through the whole
novel.) 

Also, does Pynchon get it wrong re. the church. If the original church was
"modest in design" would it have had a steeple like the present day
Neo-Gothic structure. Or is Pynchon relying on a personal (or present-day)
cityscape juxtaposition here to encapsulate what New York represents?

best



Richard Romeo wrote:

>399.4 "Trinity Church, at the head of Wall-Street"
>
ah, trinity church, the one thing of beauty in that den of iniquity.

rich
>
>Otto
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: jbor <jbor@[omitted]>
>To: <pynchon-l@[omitted]>
>Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 9:41 PM
>Subject: MDDM Ch. 40 Summary, Notes, Questions
> >
> > 398.4 "Trinity Church, at the head of Wall-Street"
> >
> > "The original Trinity Church finished construction in 1698 and appeared
> > modest in design. Unfortunately, this first church was destroyed in 1776
>by
> > a massive fire stemming from an American Revolution battle."
> >
> > http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/trinity1.html
> >
>