To help you navigate this notoriously difficult but rewarding masterpiece, What the Story is Actually About
: The "plot," if one exists, follows various characters searching for a mysterious "black device" (the S-Gerät) intended for a special V-2 rocket with serial number 00000. Gravity's Rainbow
: It is a "maximalist" blend of sophisticated philosophy, high-tech engineering, paranoia, and absurd, low-brow humor—including pie fights and singing dildos. Why Readers Find it "Helpful" Why you should read Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon To help you navigate this notoriously difficult but
: Much of the book takes place in "The Zone"—the lawless, surreal rubble of post-war Europe where national borders have dissolved and a new "military-industrial" order is beginning to form. Reading Thomas Pynchon’s is often described as a
Reading Thomas Pynchon’s is often described as a psychedelic experience or "nailing jello to the wall" rather than a straightforward narrative journey. Set at the end of World War II, the story centers on Tyrone Slothrop, an American stationed in London whose sexual encounters strangely predict where German V-2 rockets will strike.
: The title refers to the parabolic arc of a rocket's flight—the visual "rainbow" created by gravity as it pulls the weapon back to earth.