Lunch-time arrived, and with it Lindsay's announcement of early liberty.
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"Lunch-time"
The middle of the day when a person usually takes time for their second meal, between breakfast and dinner. Some people have different schedules and so their "lunch" could take place at any time of the day. But that would not mean that they're having lunch during "lunch-time." Lunch-time would still be about the middle of the day even if they were sleeping or eating a different meal during it. Am I being overly pedantic about something so mundane and obvious? Well, I'd better be or else Pynchon is likely to slip some extra-special subtext right past me. Like maybe how "lunch-time" takes place in the middle of the day and, according to the title of this book, we (or somebody) is against that day. Which means we're now in the middle of the battle and have seemingly achieved liberty early! Hoorah!
But wait! Early liberty does not mean extended liberty and success! Soon the day will probably burst forth from the clouds in its renewed battle to cozily bamboozle us with its lethargic rays and enticing patches of warmth. We must remain vigilant if we are to win this battle!
Unless the title doesn't mean a competition with the day and is suggesting that the day actually buttresses us and holds us up, uplifting us so that we have the strength to battle back the darkness.
"early liberty"
"Liberty" is a naval term meaning "allow the recruits to let their hair down and take the sticks out of their butts, maybe spend some time consuming too many beers while not saluting officers and standing however they please." The early version of liberty is like a small treat seen as a way to lift up morale and to also have something to hold over the lowly recruits later.
And as I mentioned earlier, liberty is freedom. It's something to be fought for although not necessarily in physical battle. The dopiest and most easily manipulated Americans think only the military can fight for freedom and liberty. These jerks go about waving flags and praising every military operation as a means of fighting for their freedom and then just roll over whenever their freedoms are actually impinged upon. Protesting is a form of fighting for freedom but these yahoos constantly fight against protesting because of their narrow view of how freedoms are won. In their minds, people protesting against the draft are selfish American hating bastards while America invading Vietnam is protecting American liberty and freedom. What dumb jerks!
