Gravity's Rainbow discussion

Spoil all you want.

Trevor,

You are asking about one of the most confusing episodes in the book, at least for me.

How things develop for Slothrop at the end is one of the biggest questions for me about the book. I encourage you to finish the book so that we can discuss this in more detail. I don't want to spoil the end for you, even in the "Spoilers" section

As far as I can tell, much is not tied up at the end of the book--probably intentionaly.

Episode 6 is part of the beginning of the confusions at the end.

Trevor wrote:

"I felt truly heartbroken"

That pretty much sums up my feelings about the endings for Slothrop, Tchitchirene, Enzian, Roger Mexico, Pirate Prentice, Katje, etc.

It's why I need some distance for processing this ending. You're right--What a rush.

Right now I'm reading The System of the World so I can finish the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.

My next Pynchon will be Mason & Dixon. I'm sure that I will return to Gravity's Rainbow. After all, I've been reading it since 1974. But I would like some perspective before returning to Gravity's Rainbow.

But I would love to continue to compare notes with you, Trevor. And with the rest of you too.

I too was really disappointed at the ending for Slothrop, Seaman Bodine summed up my feelings perfectly at how Slothrop just disappears from the narrative "Rocketman, Rocketman. You poor fucker."

as for Tchitchirene i thought his ending was about right, he never struck me through the book as someone who would actually be able to follow through and kill Enzian, and he ends up with the girl so it can't be all bad for him.

Roger is a similar feeling to Slothrop, to come all that way and not get Jessica and not manage to rescue Slothrop just left him at a loose end for me.

that is true, especially the whole incident in Sir Clive Mossmon's office, mexico grows a pair at the end of the book for sure.

This book is a masterpiece. But the ending is so dark.

I really was hoping that the group would organise, or improvise, or discover, or stumble onto a Counterforce.

Personally, in art and in life I am always seeking an understanding of or a path to redemption.

I'm not religious; and redemption is difficult for me to define. But I am well aware of the demeaning acts, the betrayals, the compromises, the petty and monstrous thefts, the awful day-to-day abuses that we all experience as part of life. Some of these are done to us; some we know are done to others; and some, God forbid, we may find ourselves participating in. Many, many of these are part of our overall social, national, and multi-national systems that we are born into.

Pynchon seems to understand this awful truth. His outlandish descriptions and frequent ridicule of these crimes and abuses clearly define one of the foundations of this work. The small sanctuaries some of the characters were able to assemble for themselves, however temporary, enticed this reader into hoping for a more comprehensive response by many of the protagonists. This response could define the redemption I hope for.

This Section is called "The Counterforce". This is why I hoped for an action(s) or a redemptive response by many of the characters. But Pynchon leaves us apparently unredeemed. And in a theater, with a rocket, no less, hurtling straight for our asses.

If so many of the characters are left in a despicable system run by Them; and if we are also, sitting in a bull's eye---Where's the Counterforce?

The finale is absolutely amazing. Jarring, really. I remember that I got chills the first time I read it. Granted, I was younger... but still... there's a visceral rush to be felt at the end.

"Now everybody--"

Upon finishing it recently I did spend days blathering on to the uninitiated about the ending's brilliance. Luckily I have a friend who is preparing to read this soon.

I did find it funny that when I tried to describe the impact of the ending to someone, I gave up in the same way I have when trying to describe hallucinogenic experiences. That is, simply cutting off my words and resorting to "Well . . . uh . . . just dammit! Dammit man! Dammit!" Other statements along those lines.

As we begin to tread through Part 4, the flow in the Zone begins to become interrupted - a bad TV broadcast reception, if you will. Tuning in and out - then it's just mostly fuzz.

I was left suddenly feeling this was no longer a war story and that it may never have been intended to be one from its very beginning.

Rather, was it was Age of Aquarius Hippy psychedelic culture dream story? Who knows? Who cares!

This did not ruin the novel. Part 4 did require one to examine it in a different way though.

And it only made it more transcendental on all of its physical dream levels (if that can be - using the term's mathematical and philosophical definitions here). It was not a metaphysical driven writing in the least IMO.

Had there ever been a novel formatted like this before? Not important, it was just so different.

It is kind of a Tin Drum or Steppenwolf on LSD and Steroids. But, it goes far beyond their stream of consciousness into a whole new Zone of writing - at least for me.

I do need to reread it again. And, I must have read it 3 to 9 times reading it the first time. Will that make it 6 to 18 reads in 2 reads? YIKES!!! Who knows? Who cares!