Instagram story viewer> @steppingsoftlyinto> Tagged

steppingsoftlyinto

@steppingsoftlyinto

415

followers

148

following

Life in the pursuit of literature

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Gravity's Rainbow || Thomas Pynchon

This is by far the most intense read I have ever challenged myself with. When I started, I was following every sentence and I realized that while I was trying to understand each sentence, I was losing sight of the book itself. I decided to take a step back and just enjoy what I was able to understand. I know without a shadow of doubt, that there was a ton that I didn't put together, but at the same time, there were some amazing passages.

"Die like ya live - all of a sudden, don't drag it out-"

I'm anxious to take a mental breather, but I am equally anxious to read this again in the future. Having gone through this book and gotten an idea of it, I think I will comprehend at least a little more the next time.

I wish I could speak more on the themes of the book (effect and cause and paranoia felt like the two big ones I could identify) but even in knowing these were touched on, I couldn't even really explain the context of the themes within any sort of story.

I'd also like to thank those who I tagged, to get me started on this one. I don't think I would have likely gotten to it on my own. I know we ended up at our own paces, but having the group there to start was invaluable.

As well as the reading group, I want to thank @shelf.seeker and @jacks_paperbacks for the encouragement to get to it, and keep at it. As well as helping provide resources to help me waddle my way through it.

Have you made your way through this one yet? What'd you think if so?

70

5

Well, here it is. THE review.
Pynchon might be one of the most maniacal authors ever for writing Gravity’s Rainbow. I can sincerely attest to the fact that, in all probability, over half of the book went sailing over my head (or potentially led to a cranial explosion, eviscerating my brain and any sort of neural functioning). Gravity’s Rainbow is more insane than I had expected. And I loved it.
There are of course the obvious themes: invasive/total control, hyper paranoia, and technological innovation. There are the constant erections and insane sexual deviancies. But the beauty of this tome is how Pynchon weaves all of this craziness together. The way that technology exponentially progresses is innately tied to the basest parts of humanity: our psyche, our sanity. And as this technological revolution continues at warp-speed, we become even more warped and almost shells of humans (if even human at all). As you read Gravity’s Rainbow, you may feel like you’re being gutted and pumped full of pure filth. I would posit that this feeling is engendered and multiplied by the technocratic society that we inhabit today. Read Gravity’s Rainbow. I know that I will be doing so at least one more time.
To end this review, here are two quotes:

“Don’t forget the real business of the War is buying and selling. The murdering and the violence are self-policing, and can be entrusted to non-professionals” (107).

“all in his life of what has looked free or random, is discovered to’ve been under some Control, all the time, the same as a fixed roulette wheel-where only destinations are important, attention is to long-term statistics, not individuals: and where the House always does, of course, keep turning a profit…” (211-212).

(P.S. to those I’ve tagged: you influenced me to read this in some way, so be checking your mailboxes for a bill to refund my sanity)

#reading #gravitysrainbow #pynchon #thomaspynchon #postmodern #postmodernism #book #books #bookreview #review #literature #read

178

10