Abstract
Since the publication of <em>Gravity's Rainbow </em>(hereafter <em>GR</em>) in 1973, critics have debated the overall message or unitary meaning (the doctrine, if you will) of the narrative, many attempting, especially very early on, to isolate one particular motivation or worldview as the dominant one. Since the early 1980s, however, a near consensus has emerged that <em>GR </em>is polyphonic: that is, that the many voices or paradigms in the narrative cannot be reduced to, or even subordinated by, one voice or ideology. One of the consequences of this consensus is a tendency in current Pynchon studies to treat the novel as what Edward Mendelson has termed an "encyclopedic narrative," or as what Charles Clerc calls "a liberal education" (19), a repository of knowledge, albeit in code, open to elucidation and clarification. While Mendelson's and Clerc's terms are not universally espoused by other Pynchon critics, the sheer range and depth of reference in <em>GR </em>make the hunting down and explication of details a natural, even a necessary and welcome activity.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
