Goddard and Grover Snodd

[Terrance F. Flaherty]

 Snodd is a boy genius in Pynchon's "The Secret
Integration." Lots of boy genius, mostly inventors in
aviation and ballistics fill the subtexts of the story. The
boys look to the Sue Dunham cult for inspiration and
Pseudonyms hold the clues to much of the story. Grover's
name carries both the political (Cleveland) and
ballistic/Aviation (Goddard). In the subtext, we find
Pynchon's interest and knowledge of ballistics and aviation
and how these related to his political views. These story
features Hogan and Dr. Slothrop--who uses Freudian
suggestion therapy  --and Carl Barrington, an imaginary
friend to the boys, assembled from junk yard parts, he
shatters and fades into the terrain like Tyrone Slothrop. 

TF