T. S. Eliot's "Ash Wednesday" and The Crying of Lot 49

[Benny Profane]

Hello. I was reading T. S. Eliot's "Ash Wednesday" and noticed some common elements between it and Pynchon's "The Crying of Lot 49".  At first I had no intention of comparing the two, but when Eliot uses the same double meaning of 'lot' in the poem, I started to think. At the end of II (sorry, no line numbers) "Ash Wednesday" reads, "This is the land which ye\ Shall divide by lot." Referring of course to the Biblical Lot. Of course I didn't think TCoL49 is derivative of the poem, but as other similarities emerged, I thought the idea worthy of serious contemplation. There are several odd 'coincidences' as a skeptical friend put it; for example, Eliot uses the word 'Word' numerous times, just as Pynchon does. Also, structurally, both have six divisions. Anyways, my question: What are your ideas, could there be a connection? 

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