Claustrophobic purgatory

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Teo

#436294 Mon, 29 Oct 07 07:37 AM

claus·tro·pho·bic

–adjective

1.	pertaining to or suffering from claustrophobia.

2.	tending to induce claustrophobia: a small, airless, claustrophobic room.

pur·ga·to·ry –noun

1.	(in the belief of Roman Catholics and others) a condition or place in which the souls of those dying penitent are purified from venial sins, or undergo the temporal punishment that, after the guilt of mortal sin has been remitted, still remains to be endured by the sinner.

How could the exquisite choreography of Grand Central Terminal, with its powerful beams of natural light making what Mr. Rockwell called a "gateway inviting people into the city," coexist with the claustrophobic purgatory of Penn Station?

What does the claustrophobic purgatory mean?

Teo

Joined on Tue, Sep 28 2004

Taiwan

Contributing Member (1,631)

Thank you very much for your reply.

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Mister Micawber

#436317 Mon, 29 Oct 07 08:31 AM

Penn Station (I have never been there) is evidently crowded or small or the architecture is overbearing and windowless ('claustrophobic') and hard to endure ('purgatory'-- often used to mean 'almost hell').

Mister Micawber

Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004

Yokohama

Veteran Member (23,457)

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

CalifJim

#436662 Tue, 30 Oct 07 03:32 AM

Think of purgatory more generally as a place where people suffer.

Penn Station is being called a place so small, compared to the great number of people who pass through it daily, that just to be there is to suffer from the cramped conditions.

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (18,317)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

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