GRGR(24): This disquieting structure

[Jeremy Osner]

p. 537 begins, "Who would have thought so many would be here? They keep
appearing, all through this disquieting structure, gathered in groups,
pacing alone in meditation, or studying the paintings, the books, the
exhibits." And goes on from there.

I reckon there are a few ways to read this passage; I would like to
propose one. What if this is Pynchon the writer pausing in his
composition to address the reader directly, musing on the process of
writing a story? "This disquieting structure" is the mental structure
containing the story, plot, characters, etc; "they" are the characters.
Who would have thought they would all be here? He started the process of
inventing the story with perhaps a few characters in mind, perhaps
[Note: just idle speculation, no need to tell me I'm wrong] Pirate
Prentice and Katje, over the course of writing these hundreds of exotic
individuals gradually appeared as if from thin air.