334/334/Part III

The third part of the 334 novella is subtitled Mrs. Hanson.

Summary

Longer scenes from Lottie's marriage in 2021; end of the Len Rude story in 2024.

18. The New American Catholic Bible

(2021 - Mrs. Hanson - reality)

The list of names here tells us that Mrs. Hanson's name is Nora, Lottie's is Loretta Hester, and Shrimp's is Shirley Ann (the same as Nora's mother). Boz isn't on the list, since Nora wrote it before he was born.

Jimmy Tom was clubbed by the police

This is the only reference to Nora's first child, who died at 16.

died peacefully and voluntarily at the age of eighty-one

The first reference in the novel to euthanasia, at least in terms of a specific character. In the previous scene, Nora's father appeared to be paralyzed and uncommunicative; so either he was actually more responsive than she thought, and was able to express his desire for assisted suicide when she wasn't around, or else "voluntarily" is a bureaucratic euphemism.

"Scorn for the scorners, yes; but for the wretched, grace."

The verse Mrs. Hanson has "randomly" selected is Proverbs 3:34. In the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition that was current at the time of Disch's writing, it was translated as "Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he shows favor."

19. A Desirable Job

(2021 - Lottie - reality)

one of the scrap heaps ... like Roebling Plaza

This undesirable housing project must be in located one of the outer boroughs: there is a Roebling St. in Brooklyn and a Roebling Ave. in the Bronx, but no street or square with that name in Manhattan.

your earnings didn't have to be declared to the MODICUM office

Since the street-sweeping job is described as a "concession" requiring a license, this implies that the MODICUM bureaucracy does not communicate very well with other branches of the government.

Cece wasn't about to forfeit a consideration like Christmas

In "Everyday Life in the Later Roman Empire", it's explained that in addition to their daily tips, street-sweepers normally receive "a shower of goodies at Christmas."

20. A & P, continued

(2021 - Lottie - fantasy)

21. Juan

(2021 - Lottie - another POV)

22. Leda Holt

(2021 - Mrs. Hanson - another POV)

Milly's fellow .... the two of them were in my room the whole while

Mrs. Hanson is saying that while Birdie Ludd was outside pining for Milly ("The Death of Socrates"), Milly was already sleeping with Boz in the Hanson apartment.

23. Len Rude, continued

(2024 - Mrs. Hanson - another POV)

24. The Love Story

(2024 - Mrs. Hanson - fantasy)

a temp was sleeping in the corridor in a licensed MODICUM bag

This clarifies the meaning of "temps": they are homeless people living inside apartment buildings, but outside the apartments.

25. The Dinner

(2024 - Mrs. Hanson - reality)