Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast

Oedipa learns about the history of W.A.S.T.E. and, as a result, realizes both the breadth of Inverarity's ownings and the desolation she has allowed herself to fall into. The search for meaning behind the symbols she has been seeing comes to a head and Oedipa attends the auction of Pierce's estate to try and see who the mysterious person with extreme interest in the stamp collection could be.We'll be back next week with a wrap-up on The Crying of Lot 49 and to discuss the next book we'll be reading.If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Fully cemented into the idea of W.A.S.T.E, Oedipa has several encounters which provide her further insight into the vastness of the underground organization. A meeting with Nefastis proves he is true to his name; an unnamed man at a bar has her realize that W.A.S.T.E. may be more than what she initially thought; a drunken night wandering the streets leads to sightings of muted post horns (or were they?); and a tense scene with Dr. Hilarius plays out in his office. Chapter 5 has a lot going on and we will dive into as much of it as we can.We’d also like to thank our editor, Conner, who we forgot to mention in the episode. Thank you, Connor, for all your help with the show!If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Oedipa's paranoia crescendos at a Yoyodyne meeting, where she encounters anti-Capitalist Stanley Koteks, hinting at the elusive W.A.S.T.E. The hosts dive into critiques of capitalism's impact on creativity and the dehumanization of workers. They discuss the metaphor of Maxwell's Demon and its ties to entropy and chaotic knowledge. Identity struggles through escalating paranoia are explored, alongside the effects of media on society, contrasting past television with today's social media influence. A thought-provoking journey through Pynchon's surreal world unfolds.

In our first bonus episode, we discuss the (mostly summarized)play-within-the-book, The Courier's Tragedy. Nestled into the middle of The Crying of Lot 49, the fictitious play that Oedipa watches is a highly analyzed portion of the book. Some feel it is a Shakespeare style JFK analogue, while others consider it Pynchon intentionally misdirecting the reader's attention. We break down some of these theories in a mini-episode while we prepare for our discussion on Chapter 4.If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Oedipa's journey takes a bizarre turn as she uncovers the shadowy reach of Pierce's empire. A bar in L.A. introduces her to the Peter Penguid Society, revealing intricate connections between politics and paranoia. Accompanied by Metzger and The Paranoids, she later ventures to a mysterious play, The Courier's Tragedy, igniting her obsession with hidden meanings. Oedipa's lively exchanges with the dismissive director highlight her struggle for understanding amidst a world steeped in confusion and symbolism.

A sketchy motel, a weird teenage motel manager and his mop-top bandmates, an untrustworthy child-actor turned lawyer, a can of hairspray chaotically flying around, and the early stages of paranoia settling in are all packed in this chapter into more layers than Oedipa ends up wearing during her game of strip-Botticelli. Join us in our discussion of Chapter 2 of The Crying of Lot 49.CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains a discussion about sexual assault in the context of its occurrence in the chapter.If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

In Chapter 1, Oedipa Maas has returned from a tupperware party and is made aware of a potentially life-changing arrangement. We get to know a bit about Oedipa, her husband Wendell (aka "Mucho"), her recently deceased ex-boyfriend Pierce Inverarity (who is responsible for the arrangement Oedipa has become aware of), her lawyer, Roseman (who has a love/hate relationship with fictional television attorney Perry Mason), and Oedipa's sketchy-at-best therapist, Dr. Hilarius.Join us in our discussion of The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon's 1966 novel about paranoia, the counter-culture movement of the 60's, conspiracies, underground mail networks, and Beatle-esque rock music.If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

In this inaugural episode of Mapping the Zone, our hosts introduce themselves and discuss a few topics to provide some insight into who they are and what they love about the subject of this podcast, Thomas Pynchon. Also discussed is what listeners can expect of the show going forward and which of Pynchon's books they will discuss first.If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com