Tyrone Slothrop's Age

[Dave Monroe]

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 12:50 PM,  <bryanpnowak at vandals.uidaho.edu> wrote:

> Does anyone know of any literature that discusses Slothrop's age?

Douglas Kløvedal Lannark:
Paperware to Vaporware, The Nativity of Tyrone Slothrop

[...]

There are references enough, major and minor, in Gravity's Rainbow
enabling any qualified experienced astrologer who reads the book at
least three times with an astrologer's eye to deduct, come to a
credible conclusion, and feel confident about the birth date (the
nativity) of Tyrone Slothrop. The assumed date can easily be checked
(controlled, verified) by progressions, transits, solar returns, and
other specific techniques. But I'd prefer not to burden you with too
much professional astrological jargon. Let's start with the documented
references in Gravity's Rainbow, page for page.

After references to the nine or ten generations of Slothrop's male
ancestors, each one except his original forefather having seen the
Hand of God [26-7], various chronological hints relating to his age
are placed throughout the narrative:


– in 1920 the conditioning of Infant Tyrone [84],
– in April 1931 young Tyrone visiting his aunt and uncle … big and
little cousins too [29],

– growing up in the thirties not knowing quite what to think of the
family witch [330],

– Father/Son fatal complex as typical American teenager in the thirties [674],

– in 1939 Harvard boy Tyrone vomiting beer in the men's room at the
Roseland Ballroom together with classmate Jack (JFK) Kennedy [63,
688],

– in London, September 1944 believing that there is a (V-2) rocket
with his name on it [25],

– in February 1945 at Raoul's Party receiving a Zoot Suit Size 42,
medium [246],

– in March 1945 realizing that his father made a deal some 20 years
ago (1924-25) and uncle Lyle picking young Tyrone up and swinging him
around by his feet [285-6],

– in July 1945 an obituary vision … "Died, Rocketman, pushing 30, in
the Zone, of lust" [463],

– in the Autumn of 1945 "past Slothrops, say averaging on a day, ten
thousand of them" [624].

http://www.ottosell.de/pynchon/horos1.htm

In the final chapter of Gravity's Rainbow Thomas Pynchon furthermore
presents us with a direct statement refering to Slothrop's birth sign
(and Ascendant as well!) : 'Shit that's what I get, havin' a double
Virgo fer a son…' [699]  ...

http://www.ottosell.de/pynchon/horos2.htm

>From what I have already stated as clues, hints, and references in
Gravity's Rainbow I have derived, deducted, and decided upon August
31, 1918, 7:15 a.m. EWT in Mingeborough, MA., as the most plausible
date and time of birth for Tyrone Slothrop, the second son of
Broderick and Nalline Slothrop, a tenth generation Berkshire County
New England Congregationalist family, which at the time of his birth
was not prospering. This is the nativity of a "double Virgo" –both the
Sun and the Ascendant placed in this Mercury-ruled, mutable earth
sign.

http://www.ottosell.de/pynchon/horos7.htm

9 pages in all ...