IV Chapter 17 Thoughts

[Carvill, John]

> If I were to guess (and that's all any of us are doing),

Indeed. Though we bear in mind the (not always helpful) words of Jules Seigel.

<<... the free-flowing and wildly divergent connections
seem to me at least partly inspired by the lubricants of weed and
acid.  >>

Absolutely, of course. Inidsputably.

Thing is, there's a big difference between 'inspired by' or 'influenced by', and 'under the influence of'. A book like GR could not be written whilst stoned. Not unless, as you say, you then went back and edited and re-wrote it. Most likely, Pynchon took inspiration from, and maybe took notes during, acid trips etc. But the idea that he wrote GR while tripping and/or smoking seems highly unlikely.