Initially, I found the first connection with philosophy on page 95. When Oedipa is in her long night of walking (and riding) around the city, she mentioned it would be hard to distinguish between reality and dreams the next day. Many philosophers talk about dreams, and pose the question of how we know our whole life is not just a dream. Taking into account many dreams feel very real, how can we know we are not in a dream right now? This is a theme I can specifically know is mentioned by Descartes in his Discourse on the Method. Further on in the novel, philosophy is recognized again when Freud is mentioned. The context is when Dr. Hilarius is becoming crazy and he describes his hatred against Jews. His excuse is that he is not really a nazi because: "Yes, you hate me. But didn't I try to atone? If I'd been a real nazi I would've chosen Jung, nicht wahr? But I chose Freud instead, the Jew. Freud's vision of the world has no Buchenwalds in it." (pg. 112)
I also found a new connection with Slaughterhouse - Five. Although small, I believe this discovery leads to relate these to novels more and more. Oedipa was having many encounters with the WASTE symbol and people related to it, and in one opportunity she saw a mother saying goodbye to her son and advising him to mail by means of the WASTE system. At this point Pynchon wrote "So it went." (pg. 100) This is extremely similar to So it goes and although in different circumstances, is very curious.
Throughout this chapter I also found some other interesting things. First of all I found some new funny parts proving this novel is a satire, but I still don't know of what. When Oedipa is talking to Jesus Arrabal, this small part made me laugh and reminded me to be in the look out for the satire. "But your friend, unless he's joking, is as terrifying to me as a Virgin appearing to an Indian." (pg. 97) I also found a new interesting abbreviation. In the novel ACDC was Alameda County Death Cult. I believe the satire might be a joke to some mexican - american thing because of all the bilingual parts and the jokes. How can the name of a music group be used as an Alameda Death Cult? I believe this has more information to it than I know.
I found this chapter very interesting because I got a lot of information on the Trystero and the WASTE system. When Oedipa went to the gay bar, she found a person wearing a pin of the WASTE symbol, so she decided to ask this person what it was. Supposedly, it was the symbol of a group called the Inamorati Anonymous or IA, and WASTE was their mailing system. After reading this chapter I felt more informed, and I knew more about the novel. However, the end is kind of confusing once again when Oedipa goes home and sees her husband acting strangely. She finds out he's on pills and this makes him seem as if he were many people at the same time. He starts talking about his knowledge in languages and analyzind music and rhythms backwards and this kind of confused me once again.
Vocabulary
DT, DT's, and dt (pg.105): Delirium tremens: Colloquially, the DTs, "the horrors", "the shakes" or "rum fits"; afflicted individuals referred to as "jitterbugs" in 1930s Harlem slang; literally, "shaking delirium" or "trembling madness" in Latin.
Idly (pg. 93): With no particular purpose, reason or foundation.
Brody (pg. 92): not found
Cataclysm (pg. 97): A large - scale and violent event in the natural world; A sudden violent upheaval.
Jitney (pg. 101): A bus or other vehicle carrying passengers for a low fare.
Catatonic (pg. 112): State of immobility and stupor; Abnormality of movement and behavior arising from a disturbed mental state.
Atone (pg. 112): Make amends or reparation.
KCUF (pg. 113): FUCK. This is the radio station I mentioned in my previous blog, but it is fuck spelled backwards.
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