The Jacob's-ladder now came clattering over the side, and upon it, presently, in uncertain descent, Miles, surmounted by a giant sack of soiled laundry.
* * * * * * * * * *
The term "Jacob's-ladder" is the most interesting bit here because it's Biblical. Some people think, "Why do I need to read The Bible when I don't believe in God?" And other people answer, "Do you believe in understanding anything from the Western Canon?" And then those people respond, "Fuck the Western Canon, you Patriarchal Monster!" And then the other people learn to maybe mind their own fucking business.
The literal interpretation of the Jacob's-ladder in this scene is that it's just one of them rope ladders used in sailing ships. But the main metaphorical interpretation is that it's the stairway to Heaven used by angels so that they can come to Earth to wrestle people naked. As we have seen, the Chums have just descended from Heaven and landed near a naked woman. They have not wrestled with her but I bet they want to. Also, Randolph St. Cosmo is probably an angel; the other Chums may be angels or ghosts or just lost boys being cared for by Randolph. So if Randolph and the Chums are angels, the Jacob's-ladder is literal in both of these interpretations!
The third interpretation of Jacobs'-ladder is the description of the suns rays shining down in an ever widening arc. This is an important interpretation because the book is called Against the Day and the day is when the sun is out. Also the chapter title is "The Light Over the Ranges" and the epigraph was a quote by that jazz guy about how everything is always night which is why we need light. It's all building on a theme! And since you'll never really know what a Pynchon book was about (I mean, some people might know! Or think they know! But, come on, do you think you'll be one of them? Be honest!), you should at least try to pay attention to all of the themes!
Miles is also unloading a bunch of the ship's dirty laundry. So in some way, every time the angels land, they need to cleanse the Inconvenience by removing their sins. And there are a lot of them because the dirty laundry sack is giant!
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