ATDDTA (8) Towers of Silence (209:26)

[robinlandseadel at comcast.net]

And note how, in all this metaphorical blurriness, we are in some ways transported to Iran/Iraq, as well.
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "David Morris" <fqmorris at gmail.com>
> One reason would be for contrast with the Persian version.  In
> Jeshimon the ritual is perverted to a more Western end.
> "Sophisticated world travelers" would be western tourists, or possibly
> soldiers.  This would be their "export" of the Persian ritual.
> 
> David Morris
> 
> On 5/2/07, Keith <keithsz at mac.com> wrote:
> > I would agree. So why do you think Pynchon tosses in a reference to the 
> Persian ritual 'quickly identified by sophisticated world travelers' right in 
> the middle of the all the Biblical and Lutheran references?
> >
> > On May 2, 2007, at 7:48 AM, David Morris wrote:
> >
> > The elevated dead at Jeshimon seem more of the Christian kind: torture, 
> execution and humiliation.