ATD 199-218

Revision as of 11:20, 11 December 2006 by Robot (Talk | contribs) (Page 227)

Please keep these annotations SPOILER-FREE by not revealing information from later pages in the novel.


Page 204

Linnet
European finch. Wikipedia

Page 205

against the daylight
A direct example of against the day as against the light. Significantly, Frank's attempt to discern Stray's true facial expression is thwarted by the daylight behind her. An object positioned against the daylight, or, in general, between an observer and a light source, is shadowed or silhouetted -- in Pynchon's words of the same sentence, "veiled by its own penumbra". This is suggestive of the idea that light does not always illuminate.

"faro boxes"
Card game with anti-cheating mechanism that can be fixed. Wikipedia

Page 207

"Bob Meldrum"
1920s outlaw. cite

Page 209

Towers of Silence
Wikipedia

Page 210

Reef learned from the Rev
Implausible that he had time to chat.

Page 212

The upside down star
Talking about the Marshal of Jeshimon, The Rev. of the town says: "'notice anything in particular?...Observe the star Wes is wearing.'...It was a five-pointed star, nickel-plated, like they tended to war, except that it was on upside down. 'Whith the two points up-that's the horns of the Devil, and signifies that Elderly Gent and his works.'"

In Mason and Dixon: The upside star is a symbol two things that are connected: 1. when M&D are trying to find true north, they look at starts in their telescope at measure when they reach the peak of their arc arcoss the sky. In the telescope the star is upside down. Thus, upside down stars symbolize points which cut through distortion. 2. The star is seen again and again on rifles of both Dutch and American design. They pop up around slavery, a massacre, and an Iron refinery used for making impliments of slavery and war. The rifle is much like a telescope, but differs in that it shoots lead rather then huge sweaping cuts across the landscape. But they are both acts that are branded by evil.

The "upside down star" is also known as the inverted pentagram (with "two horns exalted"), an emblem of the Devil.

Page 213

dusk's reassembly of the broken day
Broken by heat, reassembled as it cools.


Page 214

stole a horse
(What happened to the one he came with, p209?)

Page 215

Socorro
Could he have been visiting Frank at mine school?

Page 216

disrespect
Corruption setting in?

Page 217

Confederate Colt
See p88.

Page 219

Madame Blavatsky
Died 1891. Wikipedia

Page 220

ten-in-one
Ten sideshow acts for one admission. Wikipedia

Page 221

'Tzaddik'
A righteous Jew. Wikipedia

Page 222

Simla
British outpost in Himalayas. Wikipedia

"Smartly taken at silly point!"
Cricket slang. examples

To know, to dare, to will, to keep silent
Mystical formula. examples

Page 224

Trumper's
London's royal barbers since 1875. site

Page 225

Girton College
For women, founded 1869. history

four stone
56 pounds.

gaver du visage
To forcefeed of the face. cite

Page 226

growler
Hansom cab.

Berlin Conference of 1878
Divided Balkans after Russo-Turkish War. Wikipedia

Page 227

mamluk lamps
pic

Annotation Index

Part One:
The Light Over the Ranges

1-25, 26-56, 57-80, 81-96, 97-118

Part Two:
Iceland Spar

119-148, 149-170, 171-198, 199-218, 219-242, 243-272, 273-295, 296-317, 318-335, 336-357, 358-373, 374-396, 397-428

Part Three:
Bilocations

429-459, 460-488, 489-524, 525-556, 557-587, 588-614, 615-643, 644-677, 678-694

Part Four:
Against the Day

695-723, 724-747, 748-767, 768-791, 792-820, 821-848, 849-863, 864-891, 892-918, 919-945, 946-975, 976-999, 1000-1017, 1018-1039, 1040-1062

Part Five:
Rue du Départ

1063-1085

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