Chapter 1: Section 5: Page 38: Line 65 (647)

 In an ignorance black as night, he understood only that he had struck at her grievously, and that neither his understanding nor his contrition would save them.

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Lew knows not what he did so he can't apologize for it. But even if he did know what he did, an apology wouldn't be enough. Whatever sin Lew committed cannot be rectified. He is a sinner without hope of repentance. He is lost even to Jesus.

Isn't that what Judas's sin was? Believing he had sinned so greatly that he was beyond repentance? Which is why his suicide may have been ironic depending on if I understand the definition of irony. But, as we know, nobody is beyond repentance! That's why Jesus said that thing about letting the person without sin throw rocks at the person with sin. What Jesus meant was that the death penalty was wrong because it denies a person a chance at repentance. And so he's basically saying, "Look. We're all sinners. And if you're still around to throw a stone to kill a guy, it's because you were allowed to live and repent for whatever sin you committed. Wouldn't you give every sinner the same chance?" By killing somebody, you take away their chance at redemption. And since Jesus's whole thing was dying for people's redemption, he really frowned on people killing people without giving them the chance to repent. Unless that was Gandalf talking to Frodo about Gollum? Sometimes I get my religious texts confused.

Chapter 1: Section 2: Page 18: Line 136 (241)

 Darby, recognizing them as members of Bindlestiffs of the Blue A.C., a club of ascensionaries from Oregon, with whom the Chums of Chance had often flown on joint manœuvres, broke into a welcoming smile, especially for Miss Penelope ("Penny") Black, whose elfin appearance disguised an intrepid spirit and unfaltering will, and on whom he had had a "case" for as long as he could remember.

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"Bindlestiffs of the Blue A.C."
I'm fairly certain the "A.C." just stands for "aeronautics club" even though I really wanted it to stand for "antichrist" or "amazing Christ," seeing as how this club is made up of ascensionaries. I think that's something like "missionaries who descend upon you like vultures from the air." "Bindlestiff" is probably a derogatory term by now but it basically means a tramp or a hobo. You know, somebody who carries a bindle. These guys are just tramps of the air, flying around getting into trouble stealing pies from windowsills and destroying primitive cultures with their love of Christ.

"from Oregon"
I'm not from Oregon but I'm kind of from Oregon since Oregon was where my alcoholic father geographicked to after divorcing my mom when I was two. So I spent the odd weekend or two up there growing up. Now I live here. It's exactly the kind of place an aeronautics club called the Bindlestiffs of the Blue would be from. Except they wouldn't be espousing Christ's teachings now. Now they'd be spreading Marx's words and their balloon's gondola would be full of chickens.

"Miss Penelope ("Penny") Black"
This is the first knowingly female aeronaut! I bet Darby isn't the only aeronaut with a crush on her. Part of the reason men think women have their pick of any man they want is because so much gatekeeping is done on various hobbies and occupations. If you only allow one or two women into your club of dozens of men, the men are going to swarm all over the woman as a potential partner. And when she refuses them all, it isn't because she's some prude or cold hearted person. It's probably because the guy she's attracted to isn't attracted to her which means she's in the same boat as all the men attracted to her who she isn't attracted to! If you want more opportunities to meet a woman whom you're attracted to who is also attracted to you, let more women into your spaces! Or, better yet, get into hobbies or occupations that are typically considered feminine by society! Or, and this is a revolutionary idea, if you're a heterosexual man, maybe don't treat every member of the opposite sex as simply an opportunity to get laid!
    Why did I go on that rant? Who knows?! What I really wanted to say was that Penelope is a great name for a dame from 1893! And her surname of "Black" probably means something too! Like, "black" is the color of a moonless night so it's the opposite of "day" which we're apparently "against." It's the absence of light and light is (or will be?) an important theme in this book!

"elfin appearance"
This either means she's short or tall, depending on what kind of elves Pynchon is talking about. Probably short since this moment is pre-Tolkien (not pre-Tolkien existing since he was born a year previously! But definitely pre-Lord of the Rings which he didn't write until way after he was one year old). It also means she's cute, probably. If she were ugly, she'd probably be described as "goblinesque" or "troll-like."
    Being tiny and demure would also explain why her look "disguised an intrepid spirit and unfaltering will." I hope "intrepid spirit" and "unfaltering will" are euphemisms for "horny like a goat in spring."

Chapter 1: Section 2: Page 12: Line 27 (132)

 The valve now remained ajar—the very mouth of Hell!

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Oh! Maybe the Crack of Doom was also a reference to The Lord of the Rings! Because that Crack of Doom was also a very mouth of Hell! A very, very mouth of Hell even! But how does that reference even work thematically?! I'm open to it being a true reference and not just a big dumb joke. But I think I need to know more about the themes and plot of the book to figure it out. Maybe it's just to remind the reader of Gollum and how much Gollum loves riddles which then makes the reader think of this riddle:

When is a valve not a valve? When it's ajar! Ah ha ha ha ha!

Yeah. That's an analytical reading that would totally fly in academia.