Comments on: Gravity’s Rainbow http://not49.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/gravitys-rainbow/ Attempting Undergraduate English Literature Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:38:17 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: abrecan http://not49.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/gravitys-rainbow/#comment-3 abrecan Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:09:30 +0000 http://not49.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-3 Hi Leems! Thanks for commenting on my ramble :D I definately agree with you about the criticism being aimed at readers who have had certain expectations shaped by publishing industry and such like. For me I experience GR on such polar levels. On the one hand it infuriates the hell out of me, and that makes me even angrier because then I know the novel has succeeded in identifying that very same type of reader in me. I don't necessarily want to be the reader who expects coherence and a sense of order. Alternatively, when you read it and start to tune in to the humour and wit of it, it's really uplifting in a way that makes you want to open a window and share the joke with a stranger. We are studying this alongside Melville's Moby Dick next year but I really wanted to get a head start. It's not something you can start the night, or even weekend, before class so I will definately try your method of reading it. Hi Leems! Thanks for commenting on my ramble :D

I definately agree with you about the criticism being aimed at readers who have had certain expectations shaped by publishing industry and such like.

For me I experience GR on such polar levels. On the one hand it infuriates the hell out of me, and that makes me even angrier because then I know the novel has succeeded in identifying that very same type of reader in me. I don’t necessarily want to be the reader who expects coherence and a sense of order.

Alternatively, when you read it and start to tune in to the humour and wit of it, it’s really uplifting in a way that makes you want to open a window and share the joke with a stranger.

We are studying this alongside Melville’s Moby Dick next year but I really wanted to get a head start. It’s not something you can start the night, or even weekend, before class so I will definately try your method of reading it.

]]> By: leems http://not49.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/gravitys-rainbow/#comment-2 leems Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:18:47 +0000 http://not49.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-2 Hey Not, Firstly, thanks for the quote. I didn't quite mean that anyone was "meant" to love anything about Pynchon. Gravity's Rainbow was put out there for people to make whatever sense they can (can manage to, can bear to, etc.) out of it. This is just the sense that I'm making, what I love about it: I didn't feel like I understood his "point" until I stopped searching for one. I also didn't so much feel like the "fuck you" is aimed at life, but more the reader whose expectations are shaped by a publishing industry that, on the whole, produces titillating yet inoffensive, unchallenging work with neat little beginnings, middles, ends. (For example - You can't have one of the main characters from the beginning disappear for 500 pages with no explanation and then just drop him into the action again whenever you feel like it! But, actually, you can.) Also, don't give up on it! Don't know if this'll help you, but after the first 200 or so pages I actually took to reading it section by section, going over each section twice before moving on. Oh and secondly, thanks for launching one of the few truly intelligent, practical discussions of the book I've found so far. - J Hey Not,
Firstly, thanks for the quote.
I didn’t quite mean that anyone was “meant” to love anything about Pynchon. Gravity’s Rainbow was put out there for people to make whatever sense they can (can manage to, can bear to, etc.) out of it. This is just the sense that I’m making, what I love about it: I didn’t feel like I understood his “point” until I stopped searching for one.
I also didn’t so much feel like the “fuck you” is aimed at life, but more the reader whose expectations are shaped by a publishing industry that, on the whole, produces titillating yet inoffensive, unchallenging work with neat little beginnings, middles, ends. (For example – You can’t have one of the main characters from the beginning disappear for 500 pages with no explanation and then just drop him into the action again whenever you feel like it! But, actually, you can.)
Also, don’t give up on it! Don’t know if this’ll help you, but after the first 200 or so pages I actually took to reading it section by section, going over each section twice before moving on.
Oh and secondly, thanks for launching one of the few truly intelligent, practical discussions of the book I’ve found so far.
- J

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