ATD, page 609 question/discussion

[alice malice]

I am curious, so where did you get the idea that the pale husbands are
widows, and do you mean widowers or men who have lost their wives?

In any event, here are some useful links to discussion of the passage.

http://chumpsofchoice.blogspot.com/2007/05/zetamaniacs-strike-back-pp-588-614.html



http://www.vheissu.net/atd/chapter.php?s=43



http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_588-614#Page_609



http://www.vheissu.net/biblio/abstracts.php?a=32





>> "The first pale husbands of the evening stood waiting for suburban trains
>> never meant to arrive at any destination on the rail map—as if, to be
>> brought to any shelter this night, one would first have to step across into
>> some region of grace hitherto undefined." (Page 609)
>>
>> I'm confused as to the meaning of this sentence/image in Against The Day,
>> page 609. The only way I can make sense of it is that the "pale husbands"
>> are grieving widows waiting for the return of their lost, departed loved
>> ones and the only way they can return to them is by making a step across
>> into some otherworldly region/space/dimension/etc. Anyone care to offer some
>> help/an interpretation?
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