GR translation: their own pitiable contingency here, in its midst

[David Morris]

"Their own pitiable contingency [plan]"

Refers to their "preserving routine" enacted (pitiably) as protection
against the real War of chance going on outside.


   - a provision for an unforeseen event or circumstance.
   "a contingency reserve"


David Morris

Sat, May 6, 2017 at 7:22 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com> wrote:

> V96.5-16, P97.40-98.10   How seriously is she playing? In a conquered
> country, one’s own occupied country, it’s better, she believes, to
> enter into some formal, rationalized version of what, outside,
> proceeds without form or decent limit day and night, the summary
> executions, the roustings, beatings, subterfuge, paranoia, shame . . .
> though it is never discussed among them openly, it would seem Katje,
> Gottfried, and Captain Blicero have agreed that this Northern and
> ancient form, one they all know and are comfortable with—the strayed
> children, the wood-wife in the edible house, the captivity, the
> fattening, the Oven—shall be their preserving routine, their shelter,
> against what outside none of them can bear—the War, the absolute rule
> of chance, their own pitiable contingency here, in its midst. . . .
>
> What does "contingency" mean here?
> -
> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>
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