ATDTDA (23): "insultin the whole country" (643.8)

[Tim Strzechowski]

"There he goes, insultin the whole country.  Fact of the matter [...] these folks down here at least still have a chance -- one that the _northamericanos_ lost long ago.  For you-all, it's way too late anymore.  you've delivered yourselves into the hands of capitalists and Christers, and anybody wants to change any of that steps across 'at _frontera_, they're drygulched on the spot -- though I'm sure you'd know how to avoid that, Dwayne" (p. 643).


There are at least three mentions of "northamerica" in this chapter (637.2, 641.5, and 643.10), and each one is slightly different.  The first refers to Frank's "unfinished business in northamerica" (the location); the second quotes Eusebio (a.k.a. Wolfe Tone O'Rooney) as he observes that "[i]n Tampico everybody speaks northamerican" (the language); the third, quoted above, gives us the south-of-the-border colloquialism for the people of North America.

Why is the use of lower case significant in each of these examples?

Is it important that Pynchon uses "northamerica" in three different contexts within this chapter (the location, the language, and the perception of North America by the Other)?

With its references to capitalism (oil, Arbuckles, etc.) in northamerica, is Pynchon saying/suggesting anything in this chapter that might be somewhat different from his social commentary throughout the book thus far?  How does Dwayne's observation relate to that social commentary:

"With what's rollin down the rails here [...] it ain't just money, it's history.  And the next stop could be up north, 'cause anybody needs a revolution, it's sure us gringos" (642.38).

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