Pursuit Of Spiritual Freedom:Postmodernist Interpretation Of The Crying Of Lot 49

The Crying of Lot 49, which is created by Thomas Pynchon and published in 1966, is regarded as highly accomplished by critics due to its unique writing techniques. The thesis deals with how Pynchon has constituted and presented and deconstructed the labyrinth world which suggests the process of how people strive for spiritual freedom in postmodern world from postmodern perspective.Chapter one deals with how Pynchon has constituted a labyrinth world. He ridicules the cause-and-effect ideal mode through parody of motivated quest and detective novel pattern with clear answers following Oedipa's investigation for Tristero to indicate the absurd and labyrinthine postmodern world. In chapter two, Pynchon applies three features of labyrinth to describe struggle and trouble people have had to get rid of the labyrinth. Firstly, Oedipa, who plays the role of Maxwell's Demon, tries to establish new orders in chaos with over-lapped clues but confronted spiritual confusion. Secondly, the absent Pierce symbols the invisible tower of traditional gender concept which confines innovation supported by the tower imprisoned a number of frail girls in one painting named “Bordando el Manto Terrestre”. Then the mixture of postmodern writing techniques contributes to the indeterminacy and labyrinth of text. In chapter three, deconstruction of traditional concept and existing systems to establish new order is presented as solutions to get rid of labyrinth world and gain spiritual freedom supported by the revelation of ignored history from forged stamps, subversion of gender views, and open ending for more interpretations. Conclusion part summarizes the whole thesis and shows humanistic concern and spiritual pursuit of Pynchon in postmodern world.