Names in The Crying of Lot 49

Samantha Tellez

ENL 10C – Blog Post #2

            Throughout the novel The Crying of Lot 49, we get introduced to, and in most cases brief glimpses of, various characters. The characters of the novel have been given ridiculously unrealistic names by the novel’s author, Thomas Pynchon. However, it’s possible that the names themselves carry on a deeper meaning, a more symbolic meaning. This symbolic meaning would then influence the reader as they work to uncover what is occurring throughout the novel. For example, do these names offer us insight into the lives of the characters? Do they mean something deeper or are they simply a form of satire that Thomas Pynchon uses throughout the novel? Or is the author simply trying to confuse the reader and the names mean nothing at all?

The novel itself begins with the introduction of our main character, Oedipa Maas. Oedipa coming from the name Oedipus. Oedipus was a mythical Greek character, a king, in Sophocles’ tragedy of three Theban plays. The story of Oedipus illustrates as he accidently fulfills a prophecy in which he unknowingly kills his father and marries his own mother. The fact that Oedipa’s name comes from the name Oedipus could mean that she too is destined to fulfill a prophecy, she has a route she must take in order to uncover the truth. This prophecy could be similar to Oedipus’ in the fact that she may uncover a horrid truth. However, in the case of the novel, it is quite possible that the truth she must uncover comes in the form of her ex-boyfriend Pierce Inverarity, who makes her executrix of his estate after his death. Her ex-boyfriend’s name could also mean many things, a “variety” of things you could say. For one his name sounds similar to “pierce variety,” which could simply account for the many different voices he would use and imitate, the last time he spoke to Oedipa, he was using various voices in order to speak with her. His name, specifically the “variety” part, could also account for the many different estates he holds. His name could also stand for “pierce the verity,” verity meaning truth, otherwise known as pierce, or uncover, the truth. This could be a sign to the reader that Oedipa is uncovering something far bigger than she expected. However, Oedipa Maas’ name could mean the exact opposite and she is not destined for anything. In fact, her last name could be read as “Mas,” which is Spanish for “more” which could mean that is Oedipa is meant to be “more” than her namesake, or she rather, she isn’t meant to be like her namesake at all.

As mentioned prior, there are also names used throughout the novel which are simply examples of satire that Pynchon is using. For example Dr. Hilarius, who we learn, after he goes insane from taking LSD, is a runaway Nazi doctor. Pynchon may have given Dr. Hilarius his name as it can be taken in two ways. One being that Pynchon finds Dr. Hilarius’ story funny, similar to the way he simply brushes off the fact that he was a Nazi in the novel. Another explanation could possibly be found by taking the beginning of Dr. Hilarius’ name, the “Hi-“ part, and using is as another form of satire as Pynchon mock/laughs at Dr. Hilarius’ ultimate addiction and insanity from taking LSD, which we first get an idea of when he calls Oedipa asking her to be a part of his “bridge,” “The bridge…being his pet name for the experiment he was helping the community hospital run on effects of LSD-25, mescaline, psilocybin, and related drugs on a large sample of suburban housewives” (Pynchon, pg. 8). Another character whose name could be a form of satire, is Mucho Maas, Oedipa’s husband who by the end of the novel, becomes addicted to LSD. Mucho, according to Oedipa, “…was a disk jockey who worked further along the Peninsula and suffered regular crises of conscience about his profession” (Pynchon, pg. 3). Similar to the way Oedipa’s name was interpreted, his name could be interpreted as “Mucho,” meaning “much” and “Maas” meaning “more.” This would make his name mean “much more,” as he struggles with his profession, Mucho sees himself as capable of doing much more, possibly succeeding in a different career or a different field.

Ultimately, it seems as though it is up to the reader to interpret whether or not the names given by Pynchon to his characters carry any sort of significance. If they do carry some significance to the reader, it is quite possible that these names can help uncover the truth that Oedipa is searching for.