In Which Jung prewrites AtD's epigraph

[alice wellintown]

> Don't want to have this carry all the meanings of paranoia being used but I
> might suggest that in AtD Pynchon makes fun of higher mathematics for its...........self-contained
> irreality?


In his greater works, the great romances, (AtD, M&D, GR, V.), and here
we apply Richard Chase's definition of American Romance---see
http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/novel.htm---we can identify the
reality that is opposed, by Pynchon, to the irreality (and math is one
such). The reality of these Pynchon works is an unseen, material
reality, forces unseen, something under or below consciousness and
language that humans are too paranoid  to acknowledge as the real
(this form of paranoia, a positive paranoia, makes connections at a
conscious level, cause and effect, but is ever weary of the unknown
forces, the forces below and beyond, that cause such causes and
effects). Thus, Freud, Nietzsche, Marx, all materialists, serve us
well when reading Pynchon.

And, Pynchon's Romances have all the elements of Menippean Satire.  from Wiki:

characterized by attacking mental attitudes instead of specific
individuals. Other features found in Menippean satire are different
forms of parody and mythological burlesque, a critique of the myths
inherited from traditional culture, a rhapsodic nature,[citation
needed] a fragmented narrative,[citation needed] the combination of
many different targets, and the rapid moving between styles and points
of view. [...]     Typical mental attitudes attacked and ridiculed by
Menippean satires are "pedants, bigots, cranks, parvenus, virtuosi,
enthusiasts, rapacious and incompetent professional men of all kinds,"
which are treated as diseases of the intellect.


What about Newton? Newton spent a goo deal of time, as did Tesla,
working on mad persuits. He was often out of his mind. But Newton has
a special place in Pynchon's works. I would argue, that we can add him
to Paul's Trinity of Marx, Freud, and Nietzsche.