Pessimistic View

     The worldview of The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon appears to take a very pessimistic view. It focuses mainly on Oedipa’s relationship with several men around her from her husband, lawyer and others she comes across. It does not necessarily advocate for change she seems to simply agree with it but is not content with the way things are presently. The book does seem to accept the status quo because everything is explained as matter of fact. 

     A pessimistic view is to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen. It is having a negative outlook and this book seems to focus on that a lot at the very beginning after Oedipa discovers she inherited something or is part of a will she responds by: “Oedipa stood in the living room, ... tried to feel as drunk as possible” (Pynchon1). The news did not seems to settle well with her because she had no idea how to go about executing a will. Then she mentions her husband and he also has a very negative outlook in life. He sells cars and he describes it as “For a couple of years he’s been a used car salesman … working hour were exquisite torture to him” (4). He took his job very serious and compares people trading in old cars as: “filed in only to exchange a dented, malfunctioning version of himself…” (5). They are married and both seem to have a gloomy outlook in life. 

     Then she mentions her shrink Dr. Hilarius which calls her at 3am and she suddenly thinks of Unlce Sam: “his eyes gleaming unhealthy, his sunken yellow cheeks, most violently rouged, his finger pointing between her eyes” (8). This is another important man in her life but he turns out to be completely crazy. He ends up taking her hostage at the end of the book, ‘“He has a gun” Oedipa called “and I’m in here”’ (111). He is another example of how the worst always happens.

Then the lawyer Roseman is a pervert “Roseman tried to play footsie with her under the table” (10). And she seems to just shrug it off, when he asks her to run away with him and she asked where to only to end the conversation. She however does not seem alarmed by this as if it’s common practice. 

Even the city she visited San Narciso is described gloomy and gray, “Smog hung all round the horizon, the sun … was painful” (14). This is where she meets a young band member Miles from a group called The Paranoids. He too is paranoid and comes on to her. There are alot of sexual overtones in the entire book. “Miles closed the door behind them and started in with the shifty eye. ‘In return for what?’” (17). He was thinking, she wanted to sleep with him to play his song in the radio. 

     Then there is the other lawyer Metzger who she ultimately cheats on her husband with, so she is part of the pessimistic overtone of the book. He is described with “enormous eyes” and a “wickedly” smile page 17. There is also the scene of them having sex which just seems like rape, she says: “She awoke at last to find herself getting laid” (29). If she was unconscious I doubt there was consent, even if she initiated it, but she again seems to not bother with it. To make things worst she asked him what her dead ex Inverarity say about her and Metzger says “‘That you wouldn’t be easy’” (30). It almost sounded sarcastic and as though he was calling her a slut. The she continues to admit what she has done in the very next chapter she says, “then that night’s infidelity with Metzger…” (31). She doesn’t seem to have remorse for cheating on her husband like this is common for her to do. 

     The narrative also carries a lot of conspiracy theories, and mentions the symbol she found on page 38 and the Courier’s Tragedy Play which I think only adds to her paranoia that something is wrong. She must uncover something bad, and she even admits towards the end of the book, “She might well be in the cold and sweatless meathooks for a psychosis” (107). The entire book is Oedipa trying to uncover something but in the end it’s just a lot of clues and no answers. She has several encounters with men who are all bad people, and she sees the world as a gloomy sad place.

Chaos as a result of Oppression

The crying of Lot 49 holds a strong sense of isolation and chaos. The world is depicted as having harsh and lonely living conditions, while life itself is chaotic and filled with a rollercoaster of emotions. The negative emotions expressed in the story mostly stem from feelings of loneliness and lack of feeling worthy. There is also a desire to escape from the chaos—a want to have change, but change being out of reach.

              Mucho Maas, while “better off” than most poor folks in the community, is still in search of achieving a goal and being successful. The fact that Mucho even uses the term “better off” and compares himself to those around him, shows that success for him holds a financial aspect to it. Life is seen as a race and whoever can be the most financially stable wins. It takes into consideration the power that money holds and the worldview of money in different societies. For capitalist societies, money becomes a way to prove not only success, but happiness. Even if one believes they are happy, to others, and by society’s standards, it is not until the person is wealthy that happiness has been reached at its full potential. This is seen when Mucho is described as “[believing] too much” in the used car lot he works at, and is seen as crazy and hopeless by his wife, Oedipa. Mucho is aware that the lot does not have much value in it, yet his own personal beliefs do not allow him to move on and find something better, even if he yearns for change. However, we as readers must also understand that his desire for change isn’t personal much like his desire to work at the lot is. Mucho yearns for change, yes, yet it is only because that is what he should want, not because it is what he actually wants.

              Even when looking at Oedipa and the way she lives her life, it appears as though she is always settling for less. We can attribute this to her relationship with Mucho; Oedipa evidently wants him to work somewhere else or hold the same belief in the lot to the station, but he does not. Instead, Oedipa settles and lets Mucho live his life. When looking for a Motel to stay in, Oedipa pulls into a lot that pictures a “nymph…revealing enormous vermilion-tipped breasts and long pink thighs at each flap” (Pynchon 27). Despite her only staying for a short time, Oedipa settled for the room instead of finding an equally inexpensive room somewhere else.

              While much of the lives in the book are in constant movement, the need for something different—something better, is always there. The lives of Oedipa and Mucho are chaotic and in the peak of society’s change, yet their lives appear rather stagnant; different events and experiences are made, yet the downfall of their lives continues to happen. Drugs are involved in their lives and affect them drastically, yet the world is still as chaotic, only differently. There is still unworthiness, loneliness, and desperation, but at different times—in different places and for reasons beyond the surface level “everything happens for a reason.”

Despite this, the story involves songs personalized and created by characters in the story. For some of the songs, a sense of apathy is heard while others hold a sense of contentment. Miles’s song touches on being “too fat” and uses the word “too” to focus on things never being just right, just enough for him and made specifically for him. However, he ends the song with “but at least I ain’t too slim to swim.” While this does not make much sense in the fact that weight does not hold a significant amount of effect on being able to swim, it still shows how there is a sense of settling by being okay with his weight and finding the silver lining. For Baby Igor’s song, there are feelings of loneliness yet is okay with it because while it’s only him, his dad, and his dog, at least its him, his dad, and his dog. Baby Igor turned the bare minimum he had and viewed it as the only things that he needed, a change in tone not seen in the song by Miles.

While life holds chaos, the characters in the story are also marginalized. It would be unfair to judge the worldview of the characters without acknowledging the systematic issues they are facing within society. The worldview is negative and clearly holds despair, but is only because of the oppression the characters face, something that can be viewed when compiling the several obstacles thrown their way.

Pynchon's View of the 1960s Counterculture

Word Count: 824

The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon, is strange upon first reading. At first glance, Pynchon seems to have a fairly pessimistic view of human nature. The world seems to be fairly bleak and protagonist Oedipa Maas consistently wonders whether or not the Tristero system has been some elaborate joke played on her by her deceased ex-boyfriend. This strange theory is normalized by Oedipa to the extent that it almost seems as though Pynchon’s novel exists in a world that is a step away from our own, perhaps an extended model of the future as Pynchon saw it in the mid 1960s, the time period in which the novel was published.

Pynchon often seems to be making fun of the culture of the 1960s in the novel, such as with the music group the Paranoids. They are the archetypal drug-using, anti-establishment “hippie” band of the 1960s; this is evidenced in Oedipa’s thoughts at their first appearance. She thinks that it was as if “Miles, the kid with the bangs and the mohair suit, [was] now multiplied by four” (26). This limits the Paranoids to being identified as other iterations of Miles’ character. Not only does this take away the individuality of the Paranoids, but it also establishes them as a single unit. This group method of identification is continued with the female “groupies” of the band, who are also established as a unit, with “a number of girls’ faces, gazing through armpits and around angles of knees” (26) of the boys in the band. This paints the girls as sort of accessories to the boys. This sort of dynamic could be reminiscent of the mania surrounding the iconic 1960s band The Beatles. Thus, it is possible that the Paranoids are meant to represent that particular pop culture phenomenon. Overall, Pynchon seems to regard the subject of the band with a sort of morbid humor, which can inform one that he holds a certain skepticism for those who completely subscribe to that aspect of the 1960s culture.

Another way that the 1960s counterculture is portrayed in The Crying of Lot 49 is through geographic location. This can be evidenced by the way that Pynchon treats his own made-up city San Narciso. It is described as a city that “lay further south, near L.A. Like many named places in California it was less an identifiable city than a grouping of concepts” (13). This description of the city is fascinating because although Pynchon seems to be using his novel to poke fun at cities such as San Francisco (the city that San Narciso is modeled after), he also seems to have a bit of respect for them at the same time. Much later San Narciso is described as “a name, an incident among our climactic records of dreams” (147), which indicates that it is something much larger than a simple symbol meant to represent another city. Perhaps in the context of a larger meaning, it could be meant to portray all of 1960s America. It is also interesting to consider that San Narciso is separated from the rest of the state, almost as if it were another strange dimension brought on by a drug-induced hallucination or Oedipa’s own paranoid mind as evidenced by the comparison of the city to a dream. Moreover, Pynchon states that “San Narciso had no boundaries. No one knew yet how to draw them” (147). On a literal level this indicates that the city is spread out and it is difficult to create concrete borders, but on a more figurative level, this could also mean that the city could technically span the entirety of America. This idea of everyone in America belonging to San Narciso could be emblematic of the “free love” counterculture ideals of the 1960s. Thus, Pynchon’s representation of the city of San Narciso is his way of poking a bit of fun at the counterculture, since the statement of San Narciso’s lack of boundaries is literally meant to describe a sprawling urban landscape, and the ideal of San Narciso being a place that everyone inhabits is meant to be an obvious stretch for meaning that casts doubt on the legitimacy of the 1960s counterculture ideals.

These are not the only references to the culture of the 1960s, but these are the most blatant examples of Pynchon’s attempts to poke fun at many of the elements of the culture that do not make rational sense. Rather than completely dismissing this culture, Pynchon seems to be instead humorously pointing out the flaws in their ideals. This does have the effect of de-legitimizing them a bit, and yet with Pynchon leaving the possibility of a real conspiracy within the novel open-ended, he seems to be also leaving the legitimacy of the paranoia and radical idealism of the 1960s counterculture movement open to interpretation. Rather than completely dismissing them, he opens up the flaws in their principles and leaves it open to interpretation.

Blanche's Descent into Insanity

Word Count: 834

Blanche’s Descent into Insanity

            According to the Oxford English Dictionary, insanity is defined as “unsoundness of the mind as a consequence of brain disease” or “extreme folly.” “Extreme folly” could refer to recklessness or stupidity; it does not necessarily make one think of insanity. Personally, I feel considering insanity as a disease is limiting; defining it as a mental illness or condition would not leave such a negative impression, and people could be more understanding. In media, insanity is portrayed as acting outside of society's expectations and not understanding the rules that make up society. Generally, insane people are avoided or seen as menaces to society for not conforming; they themselves do not recognize that they are insane. Therefore, when people think of insanity, they think of outcasts that are seen as difficult to communicate and interact with because their thought process is mysterious. In Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche is an unfortunate woman who suffers from both societal pressure and personal expectations. By lacking a proper support system, her weak and strange mentality combined with her questionable decisions cause her to go insane.

            Right from the start, Blanche acts suspiciously and could be considered mentally unstable. While she is not diagnosed with a brain disease, her choice of actions represent “extreme folly” as she makes regretful decisions that ultimately lead to her ruin. For example, it is revealed that Blanche had many intimate relationships with men which lead to her moving out as she was deemed trouble. As Blanche sees it, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers” (142). By constantly lying and covering up her shameful past, it is clear that she cares about her appearance and reputation a lot. As she constantly relies on others for support, she is unable to support herself when she is alone and cannot become independent. Therefore, she strives to leave a good impression so that people will continue to help her and stay by her side. However, by taking away her pillars of support, there is nothing stopping her from breaking under mental stress.

She also repeatedly states that she hears a polka tune in her mind, which could be considered a trait of insanity. In Scene 9, it explicitly states in the stage directions, “The music is in her mind; she is drinking to escape it…” (113). While it does not fit in the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of insanity, it would fit in with the cultural view of insanity as there is actually no music playing out loud. The music only plays within the confines of her mind. To her, the music is an inescapable sound that she has no control over. The only way out is by escaping, an act she often does. However, she is unable to avoid the polka music as it is a product of her imagination. To her, the only solution to stop the music is by having someone else stop the music. As a woman, she was expected to lean on men for support. Especially during this time period, women were seen as weak beings, and society favored men. She even tells Mitch, “You’ve stopped the polka tune that I had caught in my head” (113). As seen here, she is unable to fend for herself, not even in her own mind, which leaves her more susceptible to mental attacks. As she is mentally weak, she needs other people to help her.

As she tries to maintain her Southern belle persona, she spits out lies after lies to create a flimsy cover for her past. Eventually, the Southern belle persona controls her actions and changes her personality. As seen in the ending, Blanche continues to keep up her guise of a high class lady and rambles on about her imagination. In the end, she could be considered insane as her grasp on reality is faint; she talks about how her imaginary millionaire boyfriend Shep Huntleigh is going to pick her up. As Eunice puts it, “ Life has got to go on. No matter what happens, you’ve got to keep on going” (133). While Eunice is saying this to Stella to convince her that sending Blanche to the doctor was for the best, these words can also relate to Blanche. In Blanche’s case, she deludes herself into accepting an imaginary world as her mind could not handle the shock of the rape and the realization that she could never escape from society’s constraints on women. Simply put, she takes an escapist route as her final attempt to understand life. To her, insanity is the only escape in life.

            While Blanche does not exactly fit the dictionary’s definition of insanity, popular media and culture would point her out as an insane person, especially in the ending. Her broken mental state leads her to act foolishly in the eyes of others, and not even her sister can bring herself to believe in the truth. However, by being insane, Blanche is able to cope and find some peace within her imaginary life.

Sex, Drugs, and Stamps

            At face value, LSD, stamp collections, and sex do not seem to have much in common. However, In The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon convinces readers that these things are more interconnected than one might think. This novel takes on a cynical, almost ironic, worldview that mocks the humanistic desire to ascribe purpose and meaning to life. Through his characters uses of the aforementioned coping mechanisms, readers are shown that one is better off accepting the futility of life rather than wasting time trying to find ways to discover its meaning.

            Throughout the novel, sex is used as a motivation for several of the character’s actions. A prime example of this is seen through Metzger’s lack of development in the story. Early on, the novel’s heroine, Oedipa, travels to San Narciso to meet with Metzger, a lawyer tasked with helping Oedipa execute the estate of Pierce Inverarity, her late ex-boyfriend. Instead of discussing the will, Metzger and Oedipa find themselves playing a game of Strip Botticelli, proposed by Metzger himself, which leads to the two having an affair. At first, it seems as though Oedipa has no interest in having sex with Metzger and puts on every article of clothing she brought with her. After some tequila and back-and-forth questioning, Oedipa resolves to return to the bathroom to put on even more clothing. However, she eventually falls victim to his appearance, that was “so good-looking” it was as if “somebody up there were putting her on” (p.20).

“It struck her that if the sun ever came up Metzger would disappear. She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to. She came back in to find Metzger wearing only a pair of boxer shorts and fast asleep…with a cry Oedipa rushed to him, fell on him, began kissing him to wake him up” (pp. 33-34).

            This shows Oedipa’s willingness to adhere to other’s desires instead of her own. Initially Oedipa was so determined to not get undressed in front of Metzger she was left looking like “a beach ball with feet” (p.28). Oedipa originally sought out Metzger to learn what to do with Inverarity’s estate. In contrast, from the onset, Metzger simply wanted to sleep with her. In the end, she did not end up sleeping with Metzger simply because he wanted too, her haste in running over to his sleeping form suggests that his desires became hers as well. Near the end of the novel, readers learn that Metzger, who was absent for a majority of the story, has run off with a young girl to get married. In response to this Oedipa noted that Metzger left “no word to recall that [we] had ever been more than co-executors. Which must mean…that that’s all we were” (p. 142). Not only does this show that his motivations and desires, sex and women, remained largely unchanged, but it also shows that although his actions are quite questionable, he is better off than Oedipa herself. This is primarily because Oedipa spent most of the novel trying to unwrap the mystery that she believed Inverarity left for her but comes up ultimately empty. In this way, Pynchon points out that self-centered cynicism, by chasing your own desires at the expense of others, is more fruitful than searching for life’s meaning.

            Following Oedipa’s convoluted journey of trying to uncover the mystery of The Trystero, she reunites with her husband, Mucho Maas, only to learn that he has been taking LSD. Mucho explained to Oedipa that “you take it because it’s good. Because you hear and see things, even smell them, taste like you never could. Because the world is so abundant. No end to it, baby” (p.139). This shows that through the drug Mucho has found a means to interact with the world in a deeper way, something the average person could only hope to do. What’s more is that he seems to be cured of his nightmares, telling Oedipa “the bad dream that I used to have all the time, about the car lot, remember that? I could never even tell you about it. But I can now. It doesn’t bother me anymore” (p.139). Typically, someone who turns to drugs to escape their issues is seen as weak or at the very least they are considered to have “given up”. This appears to be slightly ironic considering that in the novel Mucho turns to drugs and has unlocked more meaning from life than Oedipa has on her entire quest to find purpose.

            In this novel, Oedipa is the only character who set out to achieve any goal, and in the end, it left her alone and with unanswered questions. Early on in her journey, Oedipa compares her current experience to the “aura” a person with epilepsy feels just before the onset of a seizure. She wonders whether “at the end of this (if it were supposed to end), she too might not be left with only compiled memories of clues, announcements, intimations, but never the central truth itself” (p. 89). This quote functions as a sort of ominous foreshadowing  because at the end of the story, she truly was left devoid of any supposed central truth. In the midst of her quest to learn more about Inverarity’s postage stamps, readers are given the following image of Oedipa: “Oedipa sat, feeling as alone as she ever had…story of my life, she thought…despair came over her, as it will when nobody around has any sexual relevance to you” (p. 111). This demonstrates that Oedipa is potentially worse off than she ever was before she left for San Narciso to execute Inverarity’s will. She is alone, while individuals like Metzger and Mucho are indulging in their desires and experiencing an “enlightenment” of sorts. Pynchon’s comparison of Oedipa’s current state to sexual relevance is also significant. As seen with Metzger, sex is used as a means to escape the reality of the meaninglessness of life. This comparison suggests that Oedipa may have ended up with better fate if she gave into cynicism by indulging in her own interests.

In the novel, Oedipa tells herself that, “this is America, you live in it, you let it happen. Let it unfurl” (p. 145). This is not only quality advice for Oedipa and her journey, but for those who believe that it is worthwhile to search for life’s meaning. Through this novel, Pynchon shows readers that not only is it quite taxing to search for meaning in life, it is also deeply unrewarding.

Word Count: 863