The Crying of Lot 49...Chapter 6

Towards the beginning of the chapter, the bookstore that Oedipa normally visits is discovered burned down.  A change in society’s norm suggests a future change in the story’s plot.   A major theme in this chapter of the book was illusion versus reality.  All of the examples supporting this theme also relate to Tristero.  For instance, on page 20 a quote states, “When [Oedipa] got back to Echo Courts, she found Miles, Dean, and Serge and Leonard composed and motionless that some photographer, hidden from Oepida, might have been them for an album illustration.”  Comparing the real scene with an album illustration makes the scene seem almost like fantasy.  Other examples include the book containing the history about Tristero having the words “that outlandish and fantastical race” in the title (pg. 129), and the possibility that “Tristero had staged the entire French Revolution” (pg. 136).  These all serve to emphasize Oedipa’s confusion in her quest to discover what Tristero is.  She isn’t sure what information she’s heard is false and what information is real.  Additionally, these examples foreshadow Mike Fallopian's comment that Tristero may have been only a hoax.  Aside from the theme of illusion versus reality, Oedipa’s anxiety caused by her search for the truth behind Tristero is emphasized.  She begins to grow ill, and “her mind would go on flexing psychic muscles that no longer existed; would be betrayed and mocked by a phantom self as the amputee is by a phantom limb” (pg. 133).  This quote not only emphasizes the toll Oedipa’s anxiety has had on her, but also suggests a mental confusion.  A last example revealing Oedipa’s unhealthy anxiety is found in a quote on page 124, which states, “Grace looked surprised.  ‘There’s a certain harassed style,’ she said, ‘you get to recognize.  I thought only kids caused it.  I guess not.’”  Through the chapter, the reader can see Oedipa’s emotional rollercoaster as she fights for the truth.  She begins to doubt she’ll ever discover what Tristero is when she starts neglecting to pursue anyone that would have useful information.  Her first action that suggests this is her refusal to call K. da Chingado.  Later, she regains hope as she discovers that someone from Tristero may be at an auction to buy W.A.S.T.E. stamps.  Thus, Oedipa decides to attend the auction in an attempt to find the anonymous auctioneer.  The chapter ends with the auction beginning, Oedipa still fighting for the truth.  This ending leaves the reader to imagine their own ending.  It also proves Oedipa’s unbelievable determination and perseverance in her quest.  It suggests she is not willing to give up quite yet.  Not giving the reader an answer as to what Tristero really is may also suggest that Tristero is indeed just a hoax with no true answers.

A Supermarket in CA, America, & In the Baggage Room at Greyhound

In “A Supermarket in California,” the narrator describes a crush they have on Walt Whitman.  The poem is has a fanciful and dreamy tone.  Both diction and line structure contribute to this tone.  Specific words that evoke an airy mood include “thoughts I have of you tonight” (line 1), “full moon” (line 3), “neon fruit” (line 5), “dreaming” (line 5), “my Angel” (line 17), “brilliant stacks of cans” (line 18), “imagination” (line 19), and “lost America of love” (line 33).  The lines of the poem flow easily.  There are no abrupt breaks or punctuations in the lines besides the exclamation points in the first two stanzas.  These exclamation points serve to reveal the narrator’s excitement.  Additionally, the repetition of the exclamation points after each sentence gives the stanzas a unity.  They surprisingly do not take away from the easy flow of the poem.  This tempo reinforces the dreamy tone.  Additionally, the poem closes with a reference to the Underworld of Greek mythology.  Including a reference to mythology also adds to the dreaminess of the poem.  Underlying this dreamy tone, there is also a feeling of urgency.  While the narrator conveys their interest for Walt, they also question both theirs and Walt’s happiness in loneliness.  This suggests that the narrator wishes to date Walt soon to end both of their loneliness.  Particularly their loneliness is referred to in lines 21 and 22, which state “together in our solitary fancy,” and line 29 through 31, which state “Will we walk all night through solitary streets?  The trees add shade to shade, lights out in the houses, we’ll both be lonely.” 

In “America,” the narrator addresses issues in modern-day America in a sarcastic and demeaning tone.  Some of the issues mentioned are the “atom bomb” (line 6), “murder” (line 32), drugs (line 36), and obsession with the media (lines 48-51).  Addressing issues like these with sarcasm slightly lightens the brutality of the accusations, making the reader more acceptably read about them.  An example of this sarcasm can be found in lines 50 through 51, which state “I’m obsessed by Time Magazine.  I read it every week.”  In reality, the narrator does not love time magazine.  Instead, the writer is trying to make a point about Americans’ obsession with the media.  Additionally, contrasting the words “saint” (line 21) and “sinister” (line 24) serves to reflect the writer’s view of America as corrupt and hypocritical.  Though America offers the fantastical “American dream” of freedom and happiness, the writer believes that Americans are trapped in a country with murder, drugs, consuming media, and war.

In “In the Baggage Room at Greyhound,” the writer compares the Greyhound Terminal with heaven, God, and Jesus.  The bus symbolizes the journey a person will take to be judged by God.  In Part 1 of the poem, “hundreds of suitcases full of tragedy rocking back and forth waiting to be opened” (lines 29-30) represent the people at the terminal waiting to board the bus and be judged by God.  In Part 2 of the poem, the person ushering people onto the buses holds an “iron shephard’s crook” (line 43), comparing him to the Good Shephard, Jesus Christ.  In Part 3, the writer describes racks that were made to hold the riders’ things, holding them together.  The narrator goes on to say that the racks were God’s way of holding the people together and giving them an opportunity to enter into Eternity (lines 64-72).  The racks described here symbolize Jesus Christ, God’s Son sent to die for mankind, offering them forgiveness and eternal life.