The Crying of Lot 49 Chapter 1-2
Intricate, elaborate, wordy, clever, baffling, rapid, alluding.
These are just a few of the ways I would describe Pynchon's first two chapters of The Crying of Lot 49. It truly was a fast-paced, action packed, series of events. For much of it, I was not quite sure where Oedipa was. Already into the first chapter, there have been introduced, many a character. Mucho Maas is Oedipus's husband, who is a car salesman turned disc jockey and associated with an organization called KCUF (which will interest you if read backwards). There is Piers, who left his will to Oeidpa as executor, who seems to be her ex husband, Roseman there lawyer who also is trying to jump her bones, as well as her therapist, Dr. Hillarius, who is probably also trying to jump her bones, let us not forget the Beatle-copying motel affiliate who is also trying to jump her bones, and lastly Metzger who successfully jumps this married woman's bones, whilst they are both belligerently hammered. This is all in the first two chapters.
It is witty and creative thus far, for Pynchon is a powerful writer. But it is also jumpy, and I find myself lost in the web of obscure diction, winded phrases, tangential ideas, and unfamiliar allegory and allusion.
My favorite aspect of the book thus far is the portrayal of the main character. We, as the audience, often do not know what she is thinking, wanting, feeling, her goals, etc. When she is with Metzger, I could not tell if she was into him or not. Especially because she was putting on more layers of clothes which I could not tell if it was playful or trying to send a signal that she was not interested.
These are just a few of the ways I would describe Pynchon's first two chapters of The Crying of Lot 49. It truly was a fast-paced, action packed, series of events. For much of it, I was not quite sure where Oedipa was. Already into the first chapter, there have been introduced, many a character. Mucho Maas is Oedipus's husband, who is a car salesman turned disc jockey and associated with an organization called KCUF (which will interest you if read backwards). There is Piers, who left his will to Oeidpa as executor, who seems to be her ex husband, Roseman there lawyer who also is trying to jump her bones, as well as her therapist, Dr. Hillarius, who is probably also trying to jump her bones, let us not forget the Beatle-copying motel affiliate who is also trying to jump her bones, and lastly Metzger who successfully jumps this married woman's bones, whilst they are both belligerently hammered. This is all in the first two chapters.
It is witty and creative thus far, for Pynchon is a powerful writer. But it is also jumpy, and I find myself lost in the web of obscure diction, winded phrases, tangential ideas, and unfamiliar allegory and allusion.
My favorite aspect of the book thus far is the portrayal of the main character. We, as the audience, often do not know what she is thinking, wanting, feeling, her goals, etc. When she is with Metzger, I could not tell if she was into him or not. Especially because she was putting on more layers of clothes which I could not tell if it was playful or trying to send a signal that she was not interested.
Comments
Post a Comment