The Crying of Lot 49

I just finished my first Pynchon novel today and can now cross another book off of the list.

Oedipa Maas is living a life of quiet desperation, when she suddenly learns that she’s been named the co-executor of the estate of her wealthy ex-boyfriend, Pierce Inverarity. When Oedipa sets out to investigate the affairs of Inverarity, her life spins quickly out of control as she becomes entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy involving rival courier companies named Thurn and Taxis, and Trystero. Oedipa becomes obsessed with uncovering the mystery of this underground mail system and encounters a host of strange characters, odd coincidences and compelling tales. However, just as the pieces begin to come together, Pynchon sows seeds of doubt in the reader’s mind and we’re left to wonder if the entire conspiracy is nothing more than an elaborate hoax, or if Oedipa is just plain crazy.

To understand The Crying of Lot 49, one must understand postmodernism (which I do not). The best way I can describe postmodern literature is that it’s self aware. I mean this in the sense that the author is not simply telling a tale, but rather, writing about a story. If this seems confusing it’s because it is, and I think that’s what makes Lot 49 so challenging. Every sentence seems extremely deliberate, and it’s as if Pynchon is using each paragraph to do much more than simply advance the narrative. I think if you take absurdity, satire, literary conventions, and contemporary culture, you end up with a postmodern novel.

Then again, I’m not an English professor.