Gravity's Rainbow Essay

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“The Mind Governed by the Flesh is Death” Thomas Pynchon’s thought provoking novel, Gravity’s Rainbow, explores the connections between destruction and loss with human response. The novel, telling the story of soldiers attempting to uncover the hidden truths behind the German V-2 rocket coined #00000, focuses heavily on the ways in which people cope with their diminishing world. Taking place in Nazi occupied Europe during World War Two, this specific setting allows Pynchon to take a very modernistic approach crafting his characters and plot, including themes of loss of faith, loss of morality, and pessimism. One such character, Slothrop, embodies the theme that an abuse of constant sexual pleasure can dull the pain that a person feels. Sexual …show more content…

Sex is important for the repopulation of humanity, but an addiction to sex can lead to the destruction of oneself, as shown by Slothrop’s continuing mental deterioration due to his paranoia, and the destruction of society, as shown by the actual destruction of cities and towns every time Slothrop has sex. Gravity’s Rainbow is an excellent example of how modernistic themes tie into everyday life, showing the ever-evolving internal battle that people experienced during this time. While many believe this novel to be simply a representation of wartime on man, it is rather an exploration of the relationship between socially implemented morality and natural response to events. In short, Pynchon displays the differences between nature and nurture through modernistic ties to the real world and real-life events; that society is controlled by those who are no less impartial on their desires and needs than any other man or woman. Whether a person is able to truly escape the fear of death and self-decay to achieve happiness or is doomed to a life of addiction and immorality, society is forever adapting and changing to reflect the aspects of those who reside within

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