The Gnostic Pynchon

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Indiana University Press, Sep 22, 1990 - Literary Criticism - 190 pages

The appearance of Vineland, his first novel in seventeen years, has rekindled critical debate on Thomas Pynchon. Written before the publication of the new novel, but remarkably prescient about its themes, The Gnostic Pynchon is a provocative reading of Pynchon's work.

Where most critics find in Thomas Pynchon a postmodern writer of indeterministic, relativistic, contingent fiction, Dwight Eddins also finds a man on a religious quest. Pynchon's quest, Eddins shows, is for some principle of organic order that will provide an alternative to hopeless ambiguity, or an equally hopeless choice between total chaos and total control.

The Gnostic Pynchon is a profoundly revisionist view of one of this century's most important writers.

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Contents

The Gnostic Matrix
1
Probing the Nihil
27
Depraved New World
50
Copyright

4 other sections not shown

Common terms and phrases

Adams alienation animate appears aspect asserts attempt becomes brings Center clear complex concept connection consciousness constitutes continue Control cosmic cosmos course critics dark death degeneration demonic destroy dream earlier early Earth entropy existence existential experience fiction figure finally forces function gives gnosis gnostic Gravity's Rainbow ground heart Henry human Inanimate interpretation involves ironic Kingdom latter leads least light living meaning metaphysical metaxy moral mystical nature norm novel Oedipa once origin Orphic paradigm parody passage possibility postmodern precisely present Press preterite provides Pynchon quest question reality realized realm relation religious represents result revelation Rocket sacred seek seems seen sense serves significance sort spiritual Stencil story structures suggests symbol takes tension things Thomas transcendence transcendental transformation Tristero turn ultimate unity University Vheissu victim Virgin vision Voegelin York

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Bibliographic information

TitleThe Gnostic Pynchon
AuthorDwight Eddins
PublisherIndiana University Press, 1990
Original fromthe University of Michigan
DigitizedMar 11, 2008
ISBN0253319072, 9780253319074
Length190 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Literary Criticism / General
Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural & Social
  
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