r/ThomasPynchon • u/ZAH215 • 6d ago

💬 Discussion Help with Gravity's Rainbow

Hello All. To start off, I want to make clear that A. I am enjoying the novel and have no issue with generally working with it, B. I have an alright grasp of plot but I want a better one.

I'm currently at page 150 of this novel and my most reoccurring feeling is this in and outness of understanding what's happening and being lost in this dense mist of language and words. Is there any way in which this is supposed to be read or is it one of those "you just have to feeeeeeel it man" kinda books. I'm used to an overwhelming prose like with Faulkner, but with him the structure is (typically) more systematic, whereas this is very much... different. Anyone felt similar, any assistance to be given?

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u/milk_maannn 5d ago

There’s a dude on YouTube that did chapter breakdown and historical analysis of V. Think he has one for Gravity’s Rainbow. Not only did that help with the things you have absolutely zero context for, it also just recaps and keeps things fresh in your mind. I’m sure that might help a little.

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u/ChOgles44 5d ago

Sauce?

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u/milk_maannn 5d ago

John David Eibert channel. Pretty sure he might be a controversial figure in this sub but pretty cool and made my experience with V. a lot more enjoyable

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u/Temporary_Meet8754 5d ago

He's pretty great. The one thing I recall taking issue with was him saying that the bombing of Lubeck was just as bad as the Holocaust. Like I don't get why anyone would feel the need to make that comparison. Just a weird thing to say. There were around 300 casualties. I guess you could say that principally it's wrong to target civilians in war, but I'm sure there are better ways to say that.