Comparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland :: Gravitys Rainbow Essays

Comparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland From the author of Gravitys Rainbow (1973), the famous apocalyptic novel of earthly concern War II, comes Vineland (1990), a cancel into the calcium of 1984 a Reagan-era wasteland of yuppies, malls, diet-preservatives and, above all, the Tube the Cathode-Ray Tube. The opening line of Gravitys Rainbow, A screaming comes across the sky, which describes a V-2 rocket on its lethal mission, finds a way into Pynchons latest work, albeit transformed Desmond was out on the porch, hanging around his dish, which was always empty because of the blue jays who came screaming strike down out of the redwoods and carried off the food in it piece by piece. One passage describes war. Another tells of birds stealing dog food. The change in scope is huge, exclusively misleading. Some readers may fling at first at Pynchons subject matter-hippie holdovers running from narcs-but there is no mistaking Vinelands connection to Gravitys Rainbow. The newer work a cts as a corollary to the older one. The book begins with Zoyd bicyclist waking up one summer morning with some Froot Loops with Nestles Quick on top. He lives in Vineland County, a foggy, fictional expanse of Northern California which makes a great refuge for wilting flower children. Zoyd is one of them-a part-time keyboard player, handyman and marijuana cultivator who acts publicly raving mad (he jumps through glass windows once a year on television) to qualify for mental disability benefits. He and his teenage daughter Prairie both mourn the slice of Frenesi Gates, who was mother to one and married woman to the other. Frenesi was a radical filmmaker during the 60s until she was seduced by Brock Vond, a federal prosecutor and overall bad-guy/nutcase who turns her from hippie radical to FBI informant. With her assist he manages to destroy the Peoples majority rule of Rock and Roll. Fast-forward two decades. Frenesi is about to be kicked out of the Witness Protection Progra m because the government is tired of subsidizing her. Zoyd wants to find her, for overt reasons. Vond, still the charismatic diminished psychopath, wants Frenesi back too, and decides to kidnap Prairie to get her. Prairie, the only sane and sober person in the book, also wants to meet Frenesi, the mother she never knew. But theres more, like in any Pynchon novel Vond is apparently the ultimate law-enforcement spoilsport and hes not done hounding guys like Zoyd.Comparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland Gravitys Rainbow EssaysComparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland From the author of Gravitys Rainbow (1973), the famous apocalyptic novel of World War II, comes Vineland (1990), a trip into the California of 1984 a Reagan-era wasteland of yuppies, malls, food-preservatives and, above all, the Tube the Cathode-Ray Tube. The opening line of Gravitys Rainbow, A screaming comes across the sky, which describes a V-2 rocket on its lethal mission, finds a way into Pynchons latest work, alb eit transformed Desmond was out on the porch, hanging around his dish, which was always empty because of the blue jays who came screaming down out of the redwoods and carried off the food in it piece by piece. One passage describes war. Another tells of birds stealing dog food. The change in scope is huge, but misleading. Some readers may scoff at first at Pynchons subject matter-hippie holdovers running from narcs-but there is no mistaking Vinelands connection to Gravitys Rainbow. The newer work acts as a corollary to the older one. The book begins with Zoyd Wheeler waking up one summer morning with some Froot Loops with Nestles Quick on top. He lives in Vineland County, a foggy, fictional expanse of Northern California which makes a great refuge for wilting flower children. Zoyd is one of them-a part-time keyboard player, handyman and marijuana cultivator who acts publicly crazy (he jumps through glass windows once a year on television) to qualify for mental disability benefits. He and his teenage daughter Prairie both mourn the disappearance of Frenesi Gates, who was mother to one and wife to the other. Frenesi was a radical filmmaker during the 60s until she was seduced by Brock Vond, a federal prosecutor and overall bad-guy/nutcase who turns her from hippie radical to FBI informant. With her help he manages to destroy the Peoples Republic of Rock and Roll. Fast-forward two decades. Frenesi is about to be kicked out of the Witness Protection Program because the government is tired of subsidizing her. Zoyd wants to find her, for obvious reasons. Vond, still the charismatic little psychopath, wants Frenesi back too, and decides to kidnap Prairie to get her. Prairie, the only sane and sober person in the book, also wants to meet Frenesi, the mother she never knew. But theres more, like in any Pynchon novel Vond is apparently the ultimate law-enforcement spoilsport and hes not done hounding guys like Zoyd.