VLVL2 (9): "tinted contact lenses"

[Tim Strzechowski]

141.4:  "tinted contact lenses"

A continuation of the reality / illusion theme, which this chapter develops nicely.

>From the beginning of this novel we've been exposed to characters who cannot distinguish reality from illusion, as well as characters who consciously foster illusion.  The cross-dressing, the window jump, the Vomitones' gig, even the very nature of all the Pynchon-generated made-for-TV films -- all contribute to a novel that is just as much about "illusion" as it is "about" other themes.

Worth considering at this point:

Which characters truly *see* reality?  What does that tell us about the nature of reality?

Which characters live / function in a world of illusion?  Why?

When does our author tend to blur the distinction between reality and illusion (i.e., what key scenes make reality vs. illusion difficult to distinguish)?

Which characters even *bother* to question this distinction?

Is this distinction important to an understanding of this novel?


Tim S.


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