Thomas Pynchon Wiki - User contributions [en]

Chapter 12

2009-09-07T23:31:58Z

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==Page 186==
'''Krotona Hill''' 
A hill in Ojai where an institute run by the Theosophical Society in America is currently located.

==Page 187==
'''Dr. Threeply''' 
The name may refer to three-ply plywood. Basic run-of-the-mill (literally) plywood that's used in quantity for sheathing when building houses is often three-ply. This is, perhaps, consistent with the paragraph describing him, which mentions two other building products (aluminum siding and screen doors) and alludes to some event that has "torqued him out of tolerance," as might happen to plywood that has been misused and become twisted.

==Page 188==
'''J Kirshnamurti''' 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiddu_Krishnamurti Jiddu Krishnamurti] was a prominent Indian-born spiritualist who did, in fact, live in Ojai.

==Page 190==
'''Shaggy . . . Scoob''' 
Characters in the cartoon ''Scooby Doo''. An appropriate reference since the cartoon first was aired in 1969 and involved solving mysteries.

==Page 191==
'''edges of cliffs in Hawaii''' 
This passage about suicidal love sick men is strikingly similar to one in ''Vineland'':
:Hawaii is where men from California bring their broken hearts, seeking exotic forms of self-injury not so readily avilable on the mainland. Some specialize in active volcanoes, others in cliff diving, many go for the classier swimming-out-to-sea option. I can put you onto several travel agents who offer Suicide Fantasy packages, if you're interested. (p. 60)

==Page 196==
'''"...put everything in the Ostracizer and made smoothies..."''' 
Denis means [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osterizer Osterizer], a brand of blender or food processor.

'''Didn't you see that movie?''' 
Denis is referring here to the 1932 film [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks ''Freaks''], a horror film about sideshow performers with a cast of actual sideshow performers.

The Shasta/Mickey story shows some similarities to the central love story in the film. A "normal" and beautiful woman pretends to love--and marries--one of the "freaks" simply for his money. The freaks revolt against her and maim her, ultimately turning her into freak show exhibit.

'''Code of the Freaks''' 
is the "code of ethics" that the sideshow performers in Tod Browning's movie "Freaks" build up among themselves, "to protect them from the barbs of normal people. Their rules are rigidly adhered to and the hurt of one is the hurt of all; the joy of one is the joy of all." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2jsX_R25LE]

==Page 199==
'''Tarzana''' 
Completely irrelevant trivia: Tarzana is named after Tarzan because Edgar Rice Burroughs (the author who created Tarzan) was a prominent citizen. More [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarzana here].

==Page 201==
'''Gleichschaltung Model 33 Automatic Bazooka'''

''Gleichschaltung'', meaning "coordination," "making the same," "bringing into line," is a system the Hitler regime developed for the complete forcing into line of German society in terms of politics, information and culture. Gleichschaltung's system established totalitarian control over the individual, therby forcing the individual/society to follow a specific way of thinking using an oppressive police force. It started, unsurprisingly, in '33.
'Schaltung' in German also refers to gears and switches (often, but not exclusively those of cars), so it might also refer to the bazooka's automated mechanism here.

==Page 206==
'''dead people who do and don't come back''' 
Sounds like the Thanatoids in ''Vineland''.

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Chapter 12

2009-09-07T23:24:43Z

Squeelix: /* Page 196 */

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==Page 186==
'''Krotona Hill''' 
A hill in Ojai where an institute run by the Theosophical Society in America is currently located.

==Page 187==
'''Dr. Threeply''' 
The name may refer to three-ply plywood. Basic run-of-the-mill (literally) plywood that's used in quantity for sheathing when building houses is often three-ply. This is, perhaps, consistent with the paragraph describing him, which mentions two other building products (aluminum siding and screen doors) and alludes to some event that has "torqued him out of tolerance," as might happen to plywood that has been misused and become twisted.

==Page 188==
'''J Kirshnamurti''' 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiddu_Krishnamurti Jiddu Krishnamurti] was a prominent Indian-born spiritualist who did, in fact, live in Ojai.

==Page 190==
'''Shaggy . . . Scoob''' 
Characters in the cartoon ''Scooby Doo''. An appropriate reference since the cartoon first was aired in 1969 and involved solving mysteries.

==Page 191==
'''edges of cliffs in Hawaii''' 
This passage about suicidal love sick men is strikingly similar to one in ''Vineland'':
:Hawaii is where men from California bring their broken hearts, seeking exotic forms of self-injury not so readily avilable on the mainland. Some specialize in active volcanoes, others in cliff diving, many go for the classier swimming-out-to-sea option. I can put you onto several travel agents who offer Suicide Fantasy packages, if you're interested. (p. 60)

==Page 196==
'''"...put everything in the Ostracizer and made smoothies..."''' 
Denis means [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osterizer Osterizer], a brand of blender or food processor.

'''Didn't you see that movie?''' 
Denis is referring here to the 1932 film [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks ''Freaks''], a horror film about sideshow performers with a cast of actual sideshow performers.

'''Code of the Freaks''' 
is the "code of ethics" that the sideshow performers in Tod Browning's movie "Freaks" build up among themselves, "to protect them from the barbs of normal people. Their rules are rigidly adhered to and the hurt of one is the hurt of all; the joy of one is the joy of all." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2jsX_R25LE]

==Page 199==
'''Tarzana''' 
Completely irrelevant trivia: Tarzana is named after Tarzan because Edgar Rice Burroughs (the author who created Tarzan) was a prominent citizen. More [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarzana here].

==Page 201==
'''Gleichschaltung Model 33 Automatic Bazooka'''

''Gleichschaltung'', meaning "coordination," "making the same," "bringing into line," is a system the Hitler regime developed for the complete forcing into line of German society in terms of politics, information and culture. Gleichschaltung's system established totalitarian control over the individual, therby forcing the individual/society to follow a specific way of thinking using an oppressive police force. It started, unsurprisingly, in '33.
'Schaltung' in German also refers to gears and switches (often, but not exclusively those of cars), so it might also refer to the bazooka's automated mechanism here.

==Page 206==
'''dead people who do and don't come back''' 
Sounds like the Thanatoids in ''Vineland''.

{{Inherent Vice PbP}}

Chapter 12

2009-09-07T23:24:24Z

Squeelix: /* Page 196 */

{{Inherent Vice PbP Text}}

==Page 186==
'''Krotona Hill''' 
A hill in Ojai where an institute run by the Theosophical Society in America is currently located.

==Page 187==
'''Dr. Threeply''' 
The name may refer to three-ply plywood. Basic run-of-the-mill (literally) plywood that's used in quantity for sheathing when building houses is often three-ply. This is, perhaps, consistent with the paragraph describing him, which mentions two other building products (aluminum siding and screen doors) and alludes to some event that has "torqued him out of tolerance," as might happen to plywood that has been misused and become twisted.

==Page 188==
'''J Kirshnamurti''' 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiddu_Krishnamurti Jiddu Krishnamurti] was a prominent Indian-born spiritualist who did, in fact, live in Ojai.

==Page 190==
'''Shaggy . . . Scoob''' 
Characters in the cartoon ''Scooby Doo''. An appropriate reference since the cartoon first was aired in 1969 and involved solving mysteries.

==Page 191==
'''edges of cliffs in Hawaii''' 
This passage about suicidal love sick men is strikingly similar to one in ''Vineland'':
:Hawaii is where men from California bring their broken hearts, seeking exotic forms of self-injury not so readily avilable on the mainland. Some specialize in active volcanoes, others in cliff diving, many go for the classier swimming-out-to-sea option. I can put you onto several travel agents who offer Suicide Fantasy packages, if you're interested. (p. 60)

==Page 196==
'''"...put everything in the Ostracizer and made smoothies..."''' 
Denis means [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osterizer Osterizer], a brand of blender or food processor.

'''Didn't you see that movie?''' 
Denis is referring here to the 1932 film [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks ''Freaks''], a horror film about sideshow performers with a cast of actual sideshow performers.

'''Code of the Freaks''' 
is the "code of ethics" that the sideshow performers in Tod Browning's movie "Freaks" build up among themselves, "to protect them from the barbs of normal people. Their rules are rigidly adhered to and the hurt of one is the hurt of all; the joy of one is the joy of all." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2jsX_R25LE]

==Page 199==
'''Tarzana''' 
Completely irrelevant trivia: Tarzana is named after Tarzan because Edgar Rice Burroughs (the author who created Tarzan) was a prominent citizen. More [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarzana here].

==Page 201==
'''Gleichschaltung Model 33 Automatic Bazooka'''

''Gleichschaltung'', meaning "coordination," "making the same," "bringing into line," is a system the Hitler regime developed for the complete forcing into line of German society in terms of politics, information and culture. Gleichschaltung's system established totalitarian control over the individual, therby forcing the individual/society to follow a specific way of thinking using an oppressive police force. It started, unsurprisingly, in '33.
'Schaltung' in German also refers to gears and switches (often, but not exclusively those of cars), so it might also refer to the bazooka's automated mechanism here.

==Page 206==
'''dead people who do and don't come back''' 
Sounds like the Thanatoids in ''Vineland''.

{{Inherent Vice PbP}}

Chapter 11

2009-09-07T22:06:18Z

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==Page 166==
'''Brylcreem''' 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brylcreem Brylcreem] is a hair styling oil/gel for men that was very popular. It gives hair a wet, oily look.

'''on the natch''' 
"natch" is short for "natural" and "on the natch," in this context, means sober. On pg. 273, the perennially sober Bigfoot is described as a "literal-minded natch-meister."

==Page 168==
'''Leuzinger High''' 
A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leuzinger_High_School real] high school, in Lawndale, California, which - particularly in the story's time period - was a relatively undesirable and low-priced city in the LA area.

'''Dr. Blatnoyd''' 
Probably a play on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blat_%28Russia%29 term] of Russian origin, meaning a man with underworld connections or a career criminal.

==Page 170==
'''Section Eight hippies''' 
Section Eight is low income housing funded with a California state subsidy.

==Page 171==
'''Japonica Fenway''' 
"Japonica" is just a Latinization of "Japanese," but it is most commonly used in formal Latin plant names. There are a wide variety of "____ Japonica" plants, such as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia_japonica Camellia Japonica]. While it's not really possible to make any universal statement about such widely varied species, they tend to be ornamental and hardy.

'''Crocker Fenway''' 
It is possible the first name is inspired by the character "Crocker Jarmon" from the movie [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068334/ The Candidate (1972)]. The character in the movie is an establishment, incumbent GOP Senator from California.

The first names of both characters may also refer to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocker_National_Bank Crocker National Bank], which historically was a conservative, Republican institution. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,847658,00.html 1936 Time Magazine reference], [http://articles.latimes.com/1986-05-27/business/fi-7509_1 1986 Article].

'''the ancient American Indian belief that if you save somebody's life, you are responsible for them from then on, forever''' 
Last seen in Against the Day with Foley Walker and Scarsdale Vibe.

==Page 172==
'''Governor Reagan''' 
Ronald Reagan was governor of California from 1967 to 1975.

==Page 175==
[[File:MercedesSedan.jpg|thumb|200px|right|1960 Mercedes-Benz W128 Sedan, image from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W128 Wikipedia]]]
'''Mercedes sedan''' 
ten-year-old Mercedes sedan with a roof panel

==Page 176==
'''outdoor concerts where thousands . . . public self''' 
A good description of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock Woodstock], which had just taken place the previous year.

'''each person was listening in solitude, confinement and mutual silence''' 
Perhaps a foreshadowing of the iPod generation?

'''''head''phones!''' 
Here, "head" refers to drugs, as in [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=head+shop "head shop"].

==Page 181==

''''64 Dodge Dart'''
[[File:1964_Dodge_Dart.jpg|thumb|200px|left|1964 Dodge Dart Sedan, photo by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:64_Dodge_Dart_F34.jpg Scheinwerfermann]
]]

==Page 182==
'''They went down Pico . . . before repeating an ethnic category.''' 
A possible nod to noted LA chowhound Johnathan Gold, who got his start as a Pulitzer Prize winning food critic eating his way across ethnic LA along Pico Blvd. Profiled here on NPR's [http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=110 "This American Life"] (See: ''Act Five. Taste.'')
==Page 184==
'''1934 Hispano-Suiza J12'''[[File:Hispano-SuizaJ12.jpg|thumb|left|Hispano-Suiza J12, photo from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza Wikipedia]‎]]
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