Melville and Pynchon

[Rcfchess at aol.com]

whale/God/gravity/rainbow/technology/physics = larger than life/patterns  
mapping underlying reality/understandings we aspire to
 

I am  hoping to write, for my senior seminar, a paper outlining the 
influences  Moby-Dick has had on the postmodern novel, especially structurally.  I  was 
considering doing a parallel reading of Melville's text alongside a text  
written by an exemplary postmodern author and, naturally, Pynchon comes to  mind. 
 I know that my parameters are quite broad, but if anyone could  point me to 
any examples that they see in Pynchon's works that parallel,  directly or 
indirectly, Moby-Dick, I would greatly appreciate it.  I've  considered using 
Mason & Dixon, as the travel narrative and chapter  arrangement seem to suggest 
some influences, but I think it would be quite  difficult to argue for the 
influence of a novel written after the fictional  timeframe of Pynchon's.  But I am 
certainly open to any suggestions or  comments.  Thanks.

-Alex-




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