M&D - Chapter 16 - Cheese Rolling

[kelber at mindspring.com]

This link says that the first written record of cheese-rolling dates from 1826, though anecdotal evidence brought it back to at least the mid 1700s.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2009/05/07/cheese_rolling_history_feature.shtml

One can imagine TRP's thought process: Mason … Gloucester … cheese-rolling. How could he possibly resist adding a cheese-rolling scene?

Laura

(can never resist goat cheese)

-----Original Message-----

From: Johnny Marr 

Sent: Mar 24, 2015 3:33 PM

To: kelber 

Cc: David Ewers , Elisabeth Romberg , Mark Kohut , pynchon -l 

Subject: Re: M&D - Chapter 16 - Cheese Rolling



Just as a follow up - any cheese lovers on the Plist? I'm uncertain just how much of the Great Octuple is TRP's flight of fancy.
I'm a Red Leicester man myself. Bit bland, but I've never taken to blues.

On Tuesday, March 24, 2015, Johnny Marr <marrja at gmail.com> wrote:
"'Twas at the annual cheese-rolling at the parish church in Randwick, a few miles the other side of Stroud"

Cheese Rolling at Cooper's Hill, Gloucestershire, 2014.

A tradition so ridiculous, even TRP couldn't have made it up - although he's certainly capable of embellishing it. Our friend Wiki Pedia tells us that it's taken place since the 15th century, although without providing much sources by way of verification 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper%27s_Hill_Cheese-Rolling_and_Wake

Cheese rolling is ideal territory for TRP - an arcane miniature world with a peculiar history, combining eccentricity with a finely detailed technical expertise all of its own - you can sense his relish over the size categorisations of the Gloucester cheeses, particularly the opportunity to use the word Quincentenariduodecimal. 

I tend to read these group scenes as fondly written - part of TRP's signature comic picaresque, not so much mocking a silly tradition as stepping into the breach and jigging along with the locals. 

"Some considered it an example of Reason run amok,- an unreflective Vicar, worshipping at the wrong Altar, having convinced local Cheesemen to pool their efforts in accomplishing the feat".


M&D is a great celebration of the Age of Reason, and man's capacity for intellectual and scientific enquiry, but TRP's also able to offset any pomposity or overearnestness by reminding us that, however tehcnologically or socially advanced the world becomes, mankind will always have a capacity for both stupidity - which TRP wards against - and for a playful type of silliness - which TRP proudly celebrates in the best postmodernist fashion.

Besides, the beginning of a heartfelt romance deserves a grand and memorable setting. Surely cheese rolling in Stroud fits the bill as well as any other alternative?
-
Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l