... novel. These names function as metaphors for the people and things they represent, thus enabling us to understand the hidden meaning of the novel. The protagonist of The Crying of Lot 49 is a woman named Oedipa Maas. Oedipa's first name, obviously, derives from Oedipus, the hero of Sophocles' famous play. According to the legend, Oedipus' parents found out that he was fated to kill his father and ... reader to confront them as well. Her plight becomes our plight; what is denied to her by the power structure of San Narciso is denied to us by the novel structure of Thomas Pynchon. As with...

• Word Count: 2590
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography

... pieces require an audience member to bring with them any outside understanding to create meaning, only their own beliefs and ideas. Following the lead of postmodernism, Thomas Pynchon created The Crying of Lot 49 as a way to critique American culture during the early to mid 20th century. During this time, the world had passed through two World Wars, America was becoming ... [1997]) http://www.objectivistcenter.org/articles/dmayer_postmodernism-jefferson-hemings-myth.asp The Crying of Lot 49 as a Postmodern Critique of History Nietzsche once remarked, 'There are no facts, only interpret...

• Word Count: 3184
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... universe is often attempted and seldom achieved. In The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon argues that an attempt to understand the unknown is impossible. The author uses several themes in his novel in order to conclude his point. On Oedipa's quest for understanding, Pynchon incorporates the themes of a promise of hidden truth, the inability to understand, and the void in order to ... has lost connection with life, as she knows it. She is trapped in the void. Pynchon's analysis of Oedipa's mental condition reveals the terrible effects of searching for the hidden truth. It leaves Oedipa nu...

• Word Count: 3055
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School