[Posted by LIN]
How do jobs play into the psyche of the characters? I have noticed that character's professions or former professions are often brought up. Oedipa becomes a co-executor of Pierce's company even though she'd rather not. Mucho is discontent with his job and Metzger brings up his past as an actor. Why are their professions so frequently brought up? Does it say anything about their mental state?
The professions of the characters in Thomas Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49 are constantly brought up in an attempt to demonstrate their psyche. The characters define themselves based on their jobs, both currently and in the past. Oedipa brings up the fact that she is the co-executor of Pierce’s company to Metzger in an attempt to show that she is a responsible adult, however, Metzger, as a lawyer, is able to take advantage of her nonetheless. Despite his current profession, Metzger continuously brought up his acting career instead of his career as a lawyer, perhaps hinting that he would rather be remembered as an actor than as a lawyer. The character’s professions become their personalities, regardless of whether they enjoy their jobs or not.
ReplyDeleteIn The Crying of Lot 49 there is an emphasis on employment and job status to provide a juxtaposition to the unbalanced mind of Oedipa. For Oedipa, the world revolves around the fictional work she views and around what she wants to, or believes she should, perceive. Therefore, her view of the world directly opposes the construct of employment. With employment comes responsibility, sustainability, and reliability; all three things Oedipa lacks. Therefore, in seemingly defining characters by their employment Thomas Pynchon highlights and further augments the uncanniness of Oedipa's world by contrasting it with one that is so orderly. One of the more poignant employments is that of Metzger because his job as an actor propels her world of fiction and her intrigue in something that doesn't exist. In fact, she even defines herself and Metzger as the Paranoids, further applying the concept of employment titles to her everyday life. Pynchon's focus on employment not only augments Oedipa's character as an individual, but it also highlights her uncanny relationship with the world and others around her.
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