GR translation: she is starch

[David Payne]

Good point, Bekah. 

A google search for "she was starch" (put that phrase in quotes) turns up lots of use of the phrase.


On Wed, Mar 013,, Bekah <bekah176@@sbcglobal.net> wrote
> 
> Yes, but perhaps the phrase "a little stiff" might be expanded from stiff of body to a bit stiff of temperament. As such it might include some idea of "proper." She was starch - she was "up to snuff," or "up to scratch," proper. 
> 
> Bekah 
> 
> 
> On Mar ,, 013,, at ::7 PM, David Payne <dpayne912@@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > FWIW, I agree.
> > 
> > ________________________________
> >> Date: Mon, Mar 013 1::2::9 -600 
> >> Subject: Re: GR translation: she is starch 
> >> From: fqmorris at gmail.com 
> >> To: gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com 
> >> CC: pynchon-l at waste.org 
> >> 
> >> Yes. 
> >> 
> >> On Monday, March ,, 013,, Mike Jing wrote: 
> >> P57..6--6 “Why did you leave,” the sad whisper ringing as if through 
> >> a telephone receiver from someplace far away, “they wanted to help you. 
> >> They wouldn’t have done anything bad. . . .” Her hair is rolled up, 
> >> George Washington style, all the way around. She gazes at 5°° to 
> >> Slothrop, a patient, parkbench chessplayer’s gaze, very large, arching 
> >> kindly nose and bright eyes: she is starch, sure-boned, the toes of her 
> >> leather shoes turn up slightly, she’s wearing red-and-white striped 
> >> socks on enormous feet that give her the look of a helpful critter from 
> >> one of the other worlds, the sort of elf who’d not only make shoes 
> >> while you slept but also sweep up a little, have the pot on when you 
> >> awoke, and maybe a fresh flower by the window— 
> >> 
> >> Does "starch" mean "a little stiff" here, like the starch used on the linen? 
> >> 
> > 
>