This reader’s guide to Gravity’s Rainbow delves into the intricacies of Thomas Pynchon’s complex novel, providing clarity and navigational tools through its labyrinthine narrative. At conduct.edu.vn, we empower readers with insightful analysis, unraveling the layers of meaning and offering a comprehensive exploration of Pynchon’s masterpiece, fostering literature appreciation and critical thinking. Unlock the secrets of “Gravity’s Rainbow,” from rocket mysticism to cultural critique, with accessible resources and expert analysis that enhance understanding and appreciation.
1. Entering the Zone: Post-War Anarchy and Shifting Alliances
The narrative plunges into “the Zone,” a post-war Europe in disarray, mirroring the fractured agreements of Potsdam. This chaotic landscape, as the epigraph suggests, is far from the familiar comfort of Kansas. Pynchon paints a picture of regrowth and decay, where “vines are beginning to grow back over dragon’s teeth, fallen Stukas, burned tanks.” Slothrop, cloaked in the guise of British journalist Ian Scuffling, ventures toward Nordhausen, a location significant to his personal history.
Slothrop’s journey is complicated by the revelation of a childhood “sale” to Jamf, orchestrated by his father as part of a corporate scheme. Lyle Bland, a figure known for disrupting Weimar-era inflation, acts as an intermediary. The Slothrop Paper Company’s involvement in printing the Notgeld currency further implicates his family. This revelation triggers a visceral reaction in Slothrop, “the breath of the Forbidden Wing,” and a physical response, highlighting the deep-seated impact of this historical connection. Encounters with Major Duane Marvy and Oberst Enzian introduce key players whose roles will become increasingly significant. Geli Tripping’s disclosure about the scramble for the 00000 rocket adds another layer to the story, indicating a widespread pursuit of a powerful, perhaps dangerous, object. Slothrop’s entanglement with Geli further complicates his mission, blending personal desires with the larger quest.
2. Mittelwerke: A Descent into Rocketry and Symbolism
The chapter opens with a description of the morning as “a Sunday-funnies dawn,” capturing the surreal atmosphere of the Zone. Slothrop finds himself in a mix of identities and alliances, embodying the fragmented state of post-war Europe. His journey leads him to Mittelwerke, an underground rocket manufacturing base that symbolizes both technological advancement and human exploitation.
The base, built on slave labor from the Dora concentration camp, is portrayed as a morbid tourist attraction, highlighting the disturbing intersection of technology and atrocity. Meditations on the architectural designs of Etzel Ölsch and the symbolic weight of the double-integral (∫∫) enhance the chapter’s thematic depth. The double-integral, representing Brennschluss, evokes the Nazi SS symbol and the death rune ᛇ, connecting rocket science with death and destruction. Slothrop’s run-in with Major Marvy results in a comical escape, facilitated by Professor Glimpf, and leads him to the lair of the enigmatic Zwitter, adding to the novel’s eccentric cast of characters.
2.1 Architectural Fascination and the Double Integral
Pynchon delves into the architectural visions of Etzel Ölsch, a student of Albert Speer, exploring the aesthetics of power and control embedded in Nazi structures. The symbolic use of the double-integral, or ∫∫, gains significant attention. This mathematical symbol represents Brennschluss, the point at which a rocket’s fuel is exhausted, and it becomes subject to external forces like gravity. The symbol’s resemblance to the Nazi SS insignia and the proto-Germanic Eihwaz rune ᛇ, symbolizing “yew” and associated with death, further enriches its meaning. Slothrop’s romantic interpretation of the rune as “the shape of lovers curled asleep” adds a layer of complexity, connecting death with intimacy.
3. Zone-Herero: Revolutionaries of the Zero and Racial Suicide
The Schwarzkommando, now known as the Zone-Herero, establish a community in the abandoned mines near Nordhausen. They are labeled “Erdschweinhöhle,” or pigs of the caves, by the Germans. Enzian’s reflections on African colonies as “the outhouses of the European soul” highlight the themes of exploitation and Western guilt.
Their mission as “Revolutionaries of the Zero” aligns with the novel’s exploration of rocket mysticism, pursuing a path of “racial suicide.” This tribal death, as they see it, is a way to control their destiny, contrasting the inevitable decline caused by colonial forces. The rocket is worshipped as an instrument of death, its trajectory seen as a “movement toward stillness.” Enzian’s discussions with Joseph Ombidini reveal their profound disillusionment with life, expressed in the song “Sold On Suicide.” The complex relationship between Enzian and Dominius Blicero, also known as Weissmann, adds a layer of personal and historical entanglement. Enzian’s internal conflict, whether he is Elect or Preterite, reflects the pervasive Pynchonian theme of chosen versus passed-over.
3.1 Enzian’s Colonial Reflections and Rocket Worship
Enzian’s perspective offers a profound critique of European colonialism. He sees African colonies as “the outhouses of the European soul,” serving as repositories for the sin, violence, and inequity that Western civilization tries to disown. This perspective is reminiscent of Louis-Ferdinand Céline’s experiences in Africa, as depicted in Journey to the End of Night. The Schwarzkommando, also known as “Revolutionaries of the Zero,” pursue a mission aligned with the novel’s threads of “rocket mysticism.” Their ultimate goal is their own death, viewing it as a form of tribal suicide. They worship the rocket as an instrument of death, its arc symbolizing a “movement toward stillness.” While German rocket scientist Walter Dornberger viewed the rocket as inaugurating humanity’s move into the space age, the Zone-Herero see it as a final phase, leading to either the literal extinction of humanity or its spiritual subservience to the machine.
4. Brocken: The Plexus of German Evil and Slothrop’s Descent
The setting shifts to the Brocken, the highest point in the Harz mountain range, described as “the very plexus of German evil.” Slothrop and Geli Tripping form an intimate connection, highlighting Slothrop’s ongoing entanglement with witchcraft, a theme that connects to his ancestry.
The mention of Slothrop’s ancestor, Amy Sprue, who was sentenced to death for witchery, adds a historical dimension to this connection. Their encounter with a group of Hereros reveals deep-seated hatred for Tchitcherine, driven by personal animosity. Slothrop is dispatched on a mission to Berlin, orchestrated by Geli, to escape the pursuit of Major Marvy. His journey involves a hot air balloon and a custard pie fight, highlighting the novel’s blend of absurdity and gravity.
4.1 Slothrop and Geli: Snuggliness Amidst Evil
Slothrop and Geli Tripping climb to the top of the Brocken, establishing a close bond, or what Pynchon terms “snuggly and cutesy-poo.” Slothrop, portrayed as an epitome of Americana, is no stranger to witches. An ancestor of his, Amy Sprue, was sentenced to death for “witchery.” This familial connection to heresy is a Pynchonian motif, as Pynchon’s own family tree includes figures like William Pynchon, who authored the first book banned and burned in the New World. As Slothrop and Geli watch their shadows swell over the cloud line, they appear “impossibly out of scale,” symbolizing their inflated roles within the unfolding narrative. Their encounter with a group of Hereros reveals their hatred for Tchitcherine, rooted in “old-time, pure, personal hate.”
5. Tchitcherine: A Mad Scavenger’s Sinister Missions
Tchitcherine is portrayed as a “mad scavenger…more metal than anything else,” his battle wounds stitched together with gold wirework, suggesting a cyborg-like figure. He has two primary missions in The Zone: collecting Nazi rocket parts and secrets, and a personal vendetta to kill his half-brother, Enzian.
The chapter delves into Tchitcherine’s backstory, weaving together various themes of the novel. His previous role as a Stalinist functionary in Kirghiz and his involvement in the latinization of the Turkic alphabet parallel the German conquests of the Herero lands. His relationship with Džaqyp Qulan, whose father was killed in the 1916 Kirghiz revolt, adds a layer of historical and personal depth. References to the Herero genocide and the “cowboys-and-Indians” imagery connect to the novel’s broader exploration of race relations and violence. Tchitcherine’s dealings with Wimpe, another IG Farben salesman, reveal the emergence of a chemical consortium connecting America, England, Germany, and Russia.
5.1 Colonial Parallels and a Chemical Consortium
Tchitcherine’s backstory reveals parallels between colonial projects. As a Stalinist functionary in Kirghiz, Central Asia, he oversaw the latinization of the Turkic alphabet, a colonial project mirroring the German conquests of the Herero lands. This connection is made explicit through his relationship with Džaqyp Qulan, whose father was a martyr killed in the 1916 Kirghiz revolt against Russian rule. The novel also touches upon the genocide of European Jews, framing it with references to the Herero genocide and the “cowboys-and-Indians” imagery. Tchitcherine’s dealings with Wimpe, an IG Farben salesman and colleague of Laszlo Jamf, reveal the emergence of a chemical consortium connecting America, England, Germany, and Russia. Wimpe describes this cartel as “the model for the very structure of nations,” highlighting the pervasive influence of chemical interests.
6. Rocketman: A Comic Book Savior in a Feverish Berlin
Slothrop wakes up in a Berlin basement, suffering from food poisoning. In his fever, he recalls a conversation with Enzian about the search for the 00000 rocket. Enzian teaches Slothrop the Herero catchphrase Mba-kayere, meaning “I am passed over,” reinforcing the themes of preterition.
Slothrop encounters a crew of burglars and dopers led by Emil “Säure” Bummer, who liberate Wagnerian costumes from an opera house. He transforms into Rocketman, a comic book superhero, enlisting Seaman Bodine to dig up hash buried at Potsdam. This chapter introduces temporal slippages, with hints of future events and condensations of time and place, foreshadowing later developments.
6.1 The Allure of the Rocketman Identity
In this chapter, Slothrop becomes Rocketman, a comic book superhero, reflecting his attempt to create an identity amid the chaos of the Zone. The author hints at temporal slippages, building condensations in time and place that will become more relevant later. This technique creates a sense of disorientation, blurring the lines between past, present, and future.
7. Potsdam: Carving Up the World Amidst the Hunt for Hash
Attired as Rocketman, Slothrop heads to Potsdam to retrieve the hash, navigating heavy security due to the presence of world leaders like Harry Truman. While Churchill, Truman, and Stalin reshape global power, Slothrop, a rejected G.I. in a stolen opera costume, searches for hash, highlighting the absurdity of his quest.
Slothrop’s interactions with Säure reveal the growing interest in rockets and their potential black-market value. His mention of the Schwarzgerät leads Säure to refer him to Der Springer. His advance on Potsdam is halted by Russian sentries, who demand he remove his boots, which are Tchitcherine’s. He arrives at the Potsdam Conference, which is described as “lit up like a Hollywood premiere.” He digs up the hash near Truman’s quarters, only to encounter Mickey Rooney, and is then captured and injected with a familiar needle.
7.1 Black Market and the Division of Power
This chapter underscores the division of power on both macro and micro scales. While world leaders carve up the post-war world, Slothrop engages in a personal quest for hash. His encounter with Mickey Rooney highlights the indifference of celebrities to Slothrop’s existence, reinforcing his sense of alienation.
8. The U-Boat: An Argentine Epic and Jamf’s Chemical Concoctions
The narrative shifts to a hijacked U-boat led by Francesco Squalidozzi, who is fleeing British intelligence agents. Squalidozzi meets Gerhardt von Göll, the film director, and they plan to collaborate on a film adaptation of Martín Fierro, an Argentine epic poem.
The U-boat runs afoul of the U.S.S. John E. Badass, commanded by Bodine. Bodine spikes the coffee with Oneirine, a chemical concoction courtesy of Laszlo Jamf, which permits “time-modulation.” This chapter includes a drug-induced shift in perspective, with the narrative addressing the reader directly, asking questions about their motivations and fears.
8.1 Shifting Perspectives and Colonial Narratives
The shift to the U-boat introduces a colonial narrative through the planned adaptation of Martín Fierro, which prominently features the historical genocide of indigenous Argentinians. Bodine’s use of Oneirine, another of Jamf’s chemical concoctions, leads to a druggy graf with a shift to the second-person, addressing the reader directly.
9. Tchitcherine and Slothrop: Freedom, Authority, and Blackness
Tchitcherine is in Berlin with his driver/sidekick Džabajev, discussing Slothrop. They examine the transcript from Slothrop’s sodium amytal reverie, noting the prevalence of the prefix schwarz- (“black”).
Tchitcherine questions Slothrop’s motives and who he is working for, acknowledging that Slothrop is driven by his “Blackphenomenon.” He reflects on Slothrop’s freedom, noting that he is more useful running around the Zone thinking he’s free, but would be better off locked up.
9.1 Obsessions with Blackness and the Illusion of Freedom
The chapter delves into Tchitcherine’s thoughts on Slothrop, focusing on the prevalence of the prefix schwarz- in Slothrop’s sodium amytal reverie. This obsession with “blackness” connects to the novel’s themes of race, death, and the inky pitch of the unknown. Tchitcherine reflects on Slothrop’s freedom, arguing that he is more useful running around the Zone thinking he’s free, but would be better off locked up.
10. Greta, Slothrop, and the Film Set: Reenacting Trauma and Desire
Slothrop wakes up in a white cube, surrounded by people speaking Russian. He finds himself on a film set, where he meets Margherita “Greta” Erdmannn, a fading German film starlet. She is searching for her daughter, Bianca, on the set of a film, Alpdrücken, where Bianca was conceived.
They are on the set of a film, Alpdrücken, where Bianca was conceived. In the film, Greta is assaulted and whipped by a Grand Inquisitor played by Max Schlepzig. Slothrop and Greta embrace their roles, reenacting the whipping scene, leading to a complex moment of arousal and despair.
10.1 Paranoid Solipsisms and Reenactment
This chapter explores the intersection of paranoia and reenactment. Slothrop and Greta meet on a film set, where they reenact a traumatic scene from Alpdrücken. This reenactment becomes a moment of shared arousal and despair, blurring the lines between reality and performance.
11. Pökler’s Lost Daughter: Reunions at Zwölfkinder and the Holocaust’s Shadow
Franz Pökler, the rocket engineer from earlier chapters, waits for his daughter at Zwölfkinder, a decommissioned amusement park run by children. Pökler has come here every summer for the past few years to reunite with his daughter. This furlough is mandated by his sadistic supervisor, Weissmann a.k.a Blicero.
Weissmann controls Pökler by exploiting his love for his daughter, potentially swapping Ilse for a lookalike double. The chapter delves into Pökler’s memories and his work on the A4 and V-2 rockets, revealing his growing awareness of the Dora concentration camp. This is perhaps the first time Pynchon directly acknowledges the Holocaust, not merely alluding to it through other historical genocides.
11.1 Acknowledging the Holocaust and the Seduction of Rocketry
Pynchon directly acknowledges the Holocaust, contrasting it with allusions to other historical genocides. Ilse, like Pökler’s wife, Leni, is likely imprisoned at the Dora concentration camp. Pökler’s ability to think “non-fanatically” is assailed by rocket-mysticism. Ilse wants to live on the moon someday, reflecting the rocket’s allure as a symbol of human evolution and conquest.
12. Berlin’s Dissolving Connections: Anti-Paranoia and Erotic Retreats
Slothrop and Greta are hunkered down inside a wooden house on the river Spree in Berlin. Slothrop begins to lose faith, feeling that nothing is connected to anything. His usual paranoia is dissolving into an “anti-paranoia,” a sense that either They have put him there for a reason, or he’s just there.
He finds a two-inch Knight chess piece, made out of plastic (Imipolex-G?), which is the calling card of Der Springer. He follows the map and is reunited with Bummer and the gang. Slothrop and Trudi have a tryst, and Slothrop heads back to the American sector to find Greta, resuming their S&M routine.
12.1 Dissolving Paranoia and the Enclosure of Bliss
In this chapter, Slothrop’s paranoia begins to dissolve into an “anti-paranoia,” leading him to question whether there is any connection between events. The chapter also reflects on the erotic retreats sought by characters to escape the war, mirroring Franz Pökler’s relationship with his maybe-daughter Ilse at Zwölfkinder.
13. The Toiletship: Banality of Evil and Accountability in Wartime
The narrative shifts to the Toiletship, a seafaring latrine commandeered by the Schwarzkommando. Horst Achtfaden, a former rocket engineer, is imprisoned in the Chiefs’ Head. He reflects on his role in the war, making excuses for his involvement, echoing Hannah Arendt’s concept of “the banality of evil.”
Achtfaden is grilled by Enzian’s gang about the Schwarzgerät, feigning ignorance. Threatened with being stuffed down a toilet, he gives up the name of Klaus Närrisch, an engineer who worked on the device.
13.1 Guilt-Gauntlet and Plausible Deniability
This chapter underscores the banality of evil, with Achtfaden making excuses for his role in the war. The chapter reflects on plausible deniability, as each individual claims ignorance of the broader operation. Pynchon, a former Boeing employee, runs himself through his own guilt-gauntlet, satirizing the smooth functioning of the military-industrial complex.
14. Anubis Yacht: Decadence, and Greta’s Sinister Backstory
Slothrop and Greta set out by barge for Swinemünde, following Geil Tripping’s lead on the Schwarzgerät. Greta is spooked by a woman in black and flees. At the quay, they spy an enormous yacht called Anubis, full of well-to-do types. Slothrop boards the ship and learns about Greta’s sinister backstory.
She and her husband, Miklos Thanatz, used to run an S&M show for Nazi troops and concentration camp staff. Bianca was conceived during a scene in Alpdrücken, where Greta is raped by a gang of “jackal men.”
14.1 The Hand of Providence and Sinister Backstories
Slothrop boards the Anubis and learns about Greta’s disturbing backstory, including her involvement in an S&M show for Nazi troops. The chapter explores the decadence and moral decay of the wartime elite.
15. Anubis Orgy: Slothrop’s Descent into the Heart of Darkness
Slothrop wakes up after the big Anubis orgy and has Lewis Carroll dreams. Bianca has stowed away in his cabin, and the two have sex, which is morally repulsive given her age. This act signifies Slothrop’s descent into the perversion and decadence of the power brokers he has previously slithered around.
Slothrop imagines himself enclosed inside his own penis, trapped by the force that has stirred up so much trouble for him. He seems aware of the sin he has committed and how falling in with this scene is what They want for him.
15.1 Descent into Perversion and Loss of Individuality
Slothrop’s act with Bianca marks his descent into perversion and decadence, signifying a loss of individuality and a succumbing to the perversions of the power elite. This act serves as a pivotal moment in Slothrop’s disintegration.
16. Ensign Morituri’s Story: Greta’s Mud-Bath Atrocities and Yearning for Hiroshima
Scurrying up a ladder, Slothrop spots Ensign Morituri, of the Imperial Japanese Navy, who tells him a tale fleshing out Greta Erdmann’s bizarre and sinister backstory. Erdmann had tried to make it in Hollywood, but she failed and returned to Germany, becoming suicidal.
She becomes convinced that she is part Jewish and is observed by Sigmund (presumed to be Freud) at Bad Karma. One evening, she snatches local Jewish children and drowns them in the mud baths. Morituri intervenes and saves one boy. He tells Slothop he yearns to return to his home in Hiroshima.
16.1 The Horrors of Anti-Semitism and Yearning for Home
Ensign Morituri’s story reveals the horrors of anti-Semitism and Greta’s descent into madness. The chapter explores themes of guilt, atonement, and the longing for home. Morituri’s yearning for Hiroshima adds a poignant layer, given the interregnum between V-E Day and the atomic bombings.
17. Shaping Greta: Identity, Manipulation, and the F-Gerät
“It was always easy for men to come and tell her who to be.” This line is said of Greta Erdmann, whose name may actually be “Gretel.” The section meditates on her career and how she could be shaped to the whims of whomever was doing the shaping.
The story also highlights the manipulation of Greta’s daughter, Bianca, a teenage plaything in a den of pervs. The section reveals that, in the German cowboy movie Weisse Sandwüste von Neumexiko, Greta acted opposite “an American horse named Snake,” which is the name of Tchitcherine’s horse.
17.1 Enplotting and the Illusion of Meaning
This chapter challenges the reader to question whether connections are mere happenstance or part of a deliberate plot. The intricate details, such as the American horse named Snake, provoke questions about the author’s intent and the illusion of meaning.
18. Foreclosed Possibility: Anubis’s Stormy Waters and the Loss of Emotion
Back on the Anubis, a storm rages. The partygoers stagger around, pushed hither and yon by an invisible confluence of evil and horniness. Slothrop sets out in search of Bianca. Reflecting on Greta’s story, he begins to lose faith, realizing he is a sucker, being baited.
He experiences a sense of possibility being foreclosed, his mind and heart drawing perimeters around their own expansion. He feels a general loss of emotion, a numbness he ought to be alarmed at but can’t. Slothrop thinks he sees Bianca slip off the deck and into the water, and he lunges after her.
18.1 The Sucker’s Lament and Emotional Numbness
Slothrop’s realization that he is a sucker, being baited by outside forces, leads to a sense of emotional numbness and a foreclosure of possibility. This reflects the theme of individual agency being eroded by larger, uncontrollable forces.
19. Swinemünde’s Black Market: From Gnahb’s Boat to Nazi Rocket Testing
Tyrone Slothrop is pulled from the water by Frau Gnahb, a fishing boat captain. Frau Gnahb is acquainted with Der Springer, the king of the black market who will have a line on the S-Gerät.
The ship docks in Swinemünde, and Slothrop learns that Der Springer’s real name is Gerhardt Von Göll. Von Göll chases off junk-mongers with a U.S. Army pistol, then raves about the relationship between the Elite and preterite. The gang—Slothrop, Von Göll, Närrisch, Otto—return to the boat, heading for Peenemünde, the former Mecca of Nazi rocket testing.
19.1 Preterite and the Relentless Cycle of History
This chapter explores the relationship between the elite and the preterite, highlighting themes of black-market activity and historical repetition. Pynchon describes Swinemünde locals as zombies and ghosts, underlining the destructive impact of war.
20. The Great Extraction: Mondaugen’s Law and the Dispersal of Slothrop
Slothrop, Närrisch, and Otto slink through the wastes of the former rocket sites to extract Der Springer from Peenemünde. The rocket site is described as a “holy center,” stripped and hollow. Slothrop fashions makeshift molotov cocktails out of vodka bottles stuffed with feathers from the chorus girls’ costumes.
The chapter introduces Kurt Mondaugen’s Law, which holds that “Personal density…is directly proportional to temporal bandwidth.” Slothrop has begun to thin, to scatter. He has trouble remembering his past and his present. Tchitcherine greets Slothrop with “Rocketman!” and asks him why he’s dressed like a fascist.
20.1 Personal Density and Temporal Bandwidth
This chapter introduces Kurt Mondaugen’s Law, which relates personal density to temporal bandwidth, highlighting Slothrop’s progressive disintegration. Slothrop’s actions and memory are scattered, symbolizing his diminishing presence.
21. Zone-Herero’s Daring Rescue: Carving Up the Zone and Paranoid Terror
The Zone-Herero, Enzian, Andreas, and Christian, are engaged in a rescue mission, attempting to liberate Christian’s sister, who has been abducted by rival Herero leader Joseph Ombidini. Visions of the Zone being restructured by Allied forces emerge, leading to Enzian speculating that the war was a fabrication, part of a larger scheme of modification and remodeling.
Enzian experiences “paranoid terror” and becomes overwhelmed, too encrimsoned in his feud with the Russian to care about anyone outside himself.
21.1 The Fabrication of War and Personal Obsessions
Enzian’s paranoid terror underscores the theme of war’s artificiality, suggesting it is a tool for larger schemes of modification and remodeling. Enzian’s personal feud with Tchitcherine eclipses broader concerns, highlighting the dangers of narrow-mindedness.
22. Cuxhaven Bound: Collisions, Cargo, and Hanging Thighs
Slothrop gives Von Göll an earful for abandoning Närrisch. Von Göll needs Slothrop to recover a package for him. Slothrop wants Von Göll to arrange his military discharge.
Frau Gnahb spots the Anubis. They set a collision course. They ram the ship, and Slothrop scrambles on. He hears a voice guiding him, reminding him how to use his body. He finds “something hanging overhead. Icy little thighs in wet silk swing against his face. They smell of the sea.” He also smells “perfume and shit and the smell of brine…and the smell of…of…” Imipolex G.
22.1 The Familiar Pong and the Enduring Trauma
This chapter connects to the earlier incident with Bianca. The smell of Imipolex G prompts the reader to question: Is this poor Bianca? Dead and encased in Imipolex G?
23. White Visitation’s Demise: Pointsman’s Downfall and a New Counter-Force
At “The White Visitation,” Brigadier Pudding has died. Pointsman is in London, attempting to keep his work going. Katje herself is still there, roaming the empty halls. She finds film canisters featuring footage of her shot by Osbie Feel and footage of Griogri the octopus responding to Katje.
Osbie’s reels also include a screen test for a movie called Doper’s Greed. Rathbone and Sakall’s characters debate whether to kill the midget, who is dressed as a sheriff. Katje leaves “The White Visitation” and goes to visit Osbie and Pirate Prenitce, who are plotting against Pointsman.
23.1 Metacinema and the Author’s Voice
Osbie’s film can be read as an allegory, offering insight into the dynamics of the novel. This is another case of the author telling you how the book itself operates: the way scenarios zoom in, open up inside of one another, zoom out, etc.
24. Pirate Prentice’s Dream: Rejecting the Elect, Embracing the Preterite
Pirate Prentice is dreaming, inside a “disquieting structure,” teeming with people. The space itself is many-layered and seems to spontaneously generate. A priest called Father Rapier offers a sermon on Their plot. Like Osbie Feel’s Doper’s Greed movie scenario, this dreamland is a hangout for people who have turned against Them.
Gerhardt von Göll is there, and Sir Stephen Dodson-Truck. Pirate breaks down crying, confronting the possibility of a future where he does “without having helped a soul,” doomed “to stay down among the Preterite.” Katje arrives inside the dream. Pirate and Katje dance together, feeling in touch
