this is not funny

[Anonymous No.22541706]

book is solid but 609 pages in and i can safely say this book is not funny. it just feels like pynchon is trying to shock me with how zany and absurdist he can be like "hehe, you won't see THIS in the western canon!" instead of just actually trying to be authentically funny. and so much of the book plays into that absurdist humor that it's not just something i can ignore when judging it

infinite jest was way funnier than this. that was absurdist but it felt like it was coming from a place of genuine creativity rather than just shock value

[Anonymous No.22541740]

It's not meant to be funny. It's meant to be picaresque.

[Anonymous No.22541756]

He's an amazing writer but his sense of humor is too juvenile most of the time.

[Anonymous No.22541762]

>>22541756
>Shit & fartzz lol
>le wacky slapstick
>quirky pop culture reference hehe

[Anonymous No.22541776]

>>22541740
those two descriptots aren't mutually exclusive

[Anonymous No.22541785]

>>22541706
you didn’t think the english candy drill scene at least was funny? i don’t think a book has ever made me laugh harder

[Anonymous No.22541829]

>>22541785
i will give that to you desu it was funny

[Anonymous No.22541898]

>>22541706
another one filtered, pynch does it again

[Anonymous No.22541941]

>>22541706
You don’t think slothrop accidentally huffing ether getting his foot stuck in a toilet and hallucinating a dog talking to him was funny?

[Anonymous No.22541964]

>he didn’t think the rocket limericks were funny
>he didn’t think the looney tunes humor was funny
>he didn’t think the escape from the mittlewerk was funny
>he didn’t think the hot air balloon pie gag was funny
>he didn’t think the frau gnahb and otto bit was funny
>he didn’t think grigory the octopus was funny
>he didn’t think slothrop getting caught smoking weed was funny
NGMI

[Anonymous No.22542087]

>>22541964
It insists upon itself.

[Anonymous No.22542239]

>>22541706
Filtered hard

[Anonymous No.22542263]

itt: anons who don't know how to read.

Slothrop is the personification of American Idealism; the all American boy who when the time came became a man and went to war to fight for the American way of life and freedom against the evil horde of rampaging Nazis. Slothrop is learning in the hardest way possible that the idealism he grew up believing in so blindly was a sham, it was idealism. The humor is an allusion to that idealism and more tragic than funny. So the humor is recycled from Slothrop's innocent and idealistic childhood (which is important to be aware of for Slothrop's final appearances in the novel) and thrust into a new context which when all is said and done leaves us with a rather pointed bit of commentary on idealism re war, the post war idealism explosion and the general controlling of the populace through the ideological, coping with it all, etc. GR is essentially The Brady Bunch vs The Nazi's and while there is a certain absurdist humor to the general concept neither The Brady Bunch or the Nazi's were particularly funny, they were just an appeal to an ideal.

Instead of just saying this is funny and that is not funny you should ask yourself why the joke is there, what purpose does it serve to the work, humor is more that just haha funny.

[Anonymous No.22542274]

>>22542263
filtered. try reading the book next time :^)

[Anonymous No.22542279]

>>22542274
Another jokesfag filtered

[Anonymous No.22542288]

>>22542279
are you really upset? just read the book. i know it's more difficult than most books you're used to, but everything you need to understand it is there. it's better to try and read it and fail than whine about people calling you out on your bad analysis on 4chan ;)

[Anonymous No.22542299]

>>22542274
Feel free to address what I got wrong.

[Anonymous No.22542302]

>>22542299

>still here conversing with me instead of trying to read GR for the first time
honestly, it's kind of cute how you feel the need to respong. i sincerely mean that. you remind me of my dog, no matter how little attention i give him he wants more 8P

[Anonymous No.22542310]

>>22542302
How many hours a day do you spend on 4chan trolling? Do you have anything else in life?

[Anonymous No.22542314]

>>22542310
>he responded again
if i were you i would read GR, but that's just me. i'm interested in literature. you can do whatever you want in life.

now, do as i say and respond just like a good little boy. hurry up. that's an order or no treats for you :^)

[Anonymous No.22542319]

>>22542314
>this really is all I have in my life.
Quiz me on GR. Go ahead, meet the challenge.

[Anonymous No.22542326]

>>22542263
Good post

[Anonymous No.22542329]

>>22542319
>literature = a store of memorized facts to challenge others with in some sort of verbal spar
it's really sad how some people view art. also, that's an uncessary comma. i realize you're an esl and that's why you were so filtered (actually not filtered, it's obvious you've never read it)

at least you responded just like i told you. but i already have a boy dog, can you be a girl? yeah, i think that's better.

hurry and respond again like i'm ordering you to you little bitch :D

[Anonymous No.22542416]

>>22542288
It's just jokes with you, isn't it?

[Anonymous No.22542434]

>>22542263
This is what’s known as symbol hunting. You usually learn about this in the 200 or 300 level lit classes. I mean…it’s not bad, it’s just wrong. But better than most garbage people post.

[Anonymous No.22542445]

>>22542434
How is it wrong?

[Anonymous No.22542478]

>>22542434
Pynchon spends half the book reiterating this and developing it, does not really take hunting to figure out. But go ahead and address the points made.

[Anonymous No.22542484]

>>22542445
NTA but Slothrop’s boyishness is only a part of the puzzle with makes up the whole novel. The next level of comprehending the work would be to take all of these distinct thematic movements and look at how they contribute to the whole. For example, in some parts of the book Nazis are portrayed sympathetically, in your analysis this doesn’t fit because it’s incapable of accounting for other elements of the book outside of the dichotomy between the two idealisms that you set up. Paranoia, another massive element of the book, doesn’t factor into your equation either. Additionally, there wasn’t really an explosion of idealism (and to construe Nazism and American popular media of the time as similar examples of naivety is pretty strange and would require a justification of its own) after the war in reality or implied in the story, both point to a reductive materialism holding sway over the majority. Essentially, this is like if you said that the movie cars was about going really fast vs going slow. Yes, that’s a part of it in a way, not all of it though.

[Anonymous No.22542507]

>>22541706
First of all: Filtered. Secondly, Pynchon’s sole purpose writing GR is not humour. You then compare it with Infinite Jest which tells us that you are reading through a Meme lens. Furthermore, you’re a massive faggot.

[Anonymous No.22542583]

>>22542484
>NTA but Slothrop’s boyishness is only a part of the puzzle with makes up the whole novel.
I was not explaining the whole novel, I was addressing OPs issue with the humor and limiting myself to that aspect. I think that should be clear.
>in your analysis this doesn’t fit because it’s incapable of accounting for other elements of the book outside of the dichotomy between the two idealisms that you set up.
It is one idealism against the other, Pynchon is not saying "yay America" and I never suggested he was, strongly implied the opposite and does not really push for or even against either since that would be rather idealistic and dissonant.
>Paranoia, another massive element of the book, doesn’t factor into your equation either.
Once again I was only addressing the humor but the paranoia does tie in, the crumbling of Slothrop's ideals is what feeds his paranoia, he is discovering that everything he believed was a lie.
>after the war in reality or implied in the story,
I was clearly referring to American idealism, the greatness of America and democracy and all that, the whole apple pie cooling on the windowsill idealism that defined American culture before the rise of the hippies which was a push against that idealism with a new ideal. Post war pop culture was filled with the everything is great the good guys won mentality. This is more about the times in which Pynchon was writing, he was not disconnected from that culture and heavily informed by it.
>Essentially, this is like if you said that the movie cars was about going really fast vs going slow. Yes, that’s a part of it in a way, not all of it though.
Do I need to repeat myself again? Why do you think explaining one aspect/technique employed in the novel is an attempt at explaining the entire novel?

[Anonymous No.22542599]

pynchon is way better at beauty than humor

[Anonymous No.22542605]

>>22542583
serious question, have you been diagnosed with autism? the way you interact reminds me of an autist guy i know who has difficulty in social situations

[Anonymous No.22542677]

>>22542605
In 7th grade they had me tested for autism/learning disabilities, official diagnoses was boredom so they bumped me up to 8th grade. I was trying to put things into terms which he (You) could understand but it is difficult to do since I have no idea how deep the stupid goes. Normally I avoid breaking posts up into bullet points and repeating myself so blatantly but it seemed the only viable solution in this case, I try and avoid resorting to the "insult+I am great but will not explain" mentally this place is ripe with.

[Anonymous No.22542704]

>>22541706
I think you got filtered and forgot that the majority of the events of the book are taking place while Slothrop is either wearing a zoot suit, a superhero costume, or dressed as a giant pig. Picture it again with that in mind and tell me it isn't funny.

[Anonymous No.22542715]

>>22542704
Finally, someone in this thread who actually gets it.

[Anonymous No.22542734]

>>22542583
Well, in the case that you understand that the novel is more than that I would just simply say that it’s off mark. The humor is there to be funny and any greater thematic goal which it serves is exterior to it. If anything one could argue that the way naive humor is structurally imbedded into the narrative reveals its value as a mode of interpreting from Pynchon given that a good portion of the humor doesn’t concern brief isolated asides but instead major plot points. Take Major Maffick as an example: his castration represents one of the few major successes of slothrop against Them and yet the entire scene including the preceding one in the bathhouse could have came straight out of Looney Tunes. It’s not that that major success is adorned with a joke as an escape from the severity of what would have happened to slothrop had he not outsmarted Them the entire cat and mouse game of slothrop V Them is made into a joke by Pynchon’s handling of it. Pynchon alters the entire framing of Slothrop’s dilemma from detective noir to comic book in that move which should be evidence enough that he sees it as more than mere naive idealism given that he entrusts it as a reputable way of making sense of his world to the reader. In other instances though: the peak being the rocket limericks; they’re there for the pure fun of it. He’s making fun of his own book as he’s writing it in those which is just genius. Have you read more Pynchon than just GR? He’s a pretty genuinely funny guy.

[Anonymous No.22542820]

>>22542734
>the point is besides the point
Had a good chuckle after that second sentence. I made no judgement on the humor, never said it was not funny or that it was funny. GR is not about the jokes and the bulk of humor serves larger purposes, which is all that I was explaining. I limited my explanation to Slothrop since he is the main character and called it good. Humor is highly subjective and explaining a joke is about as useful as saying "filtered" but understanding the purpose of the joke beyond the laugh has value and can be explained.

I have read all of Pynchon except BE and most of them multiple times. ATD is the only one which is still a single read and I have been meaning to read it again but am waiting for when I have the time to really pull it apart.

[Anonymous No.22542834]

>>22542677
Nah, I’ve seen you in other threads, especially IJ ones. Wasn’t talking about your intelligence but your (lack of) social skills. You always ruin threads because people will be offering up analysis and you come in going “did you even read the book?”, calling everyone a retard, and going on long insulting diatribes anytime anyone disagrees with your takes. maybe you should consider getting tested again?

[Anonymous No.22542855]

>>22542605
Stay filtered retard

[Anonymous No.22542881]

>>22542855
damn, you really got him, mr. redditor

[Anonymous No.22542888]

>>22542820
Did you just not comprehend my post? Yeah, I know that’s just what you were trying to do. I disagree. Did you want to talk about my disagreements or go back to the beginning of the conversation and repeat the same statements again?

[Anonymous No.22542913]

>>22542881
Thanks

[Anonymous No.22542926]

>>22542913
upvotes for you and your reddit-tier posts, mr. redditor

[Anonymous No.22542939]

For me, it's Bodine's outfit at the Gross Suckling Conference...

[Anonymous No.22542942]

>>22542855
>>22542881
>>22542913
>>22542926

You two faggots were filtered and since neither of have anything of value to offer you both shit up the thread. Just leave if you get that intimidated by intellectual discussion.

[Anonymous No.22542954]

>>22542734
Great post, Good to see some actual effort put into a post.

>Have you read more Pynchon than just GR?
If he had he wouldn’t have offered up that superficial and aggressively reductive take.

[Anonymous No.22542967]

>>22542834
It is pretty rare I insult people or accuse them of not reading something, even if they are being outright hostile and abusive I generally abstain, just as I have in this thread.
>>22542888
I comprehended it and if you understood my point then you should know your point has nothing to do with it, OP did not find it funny so I explained how the humor contributes to the book beyond the laughs, that is it. Your whole argument from the start has had nothing to do with my point, just holding up hoops and expecting me to jump through them. I never said the book was not funny or that Pynchon did not intend the jokes to be funny, i told OP to question the purpose of the joke instead of just seeing it as a joke which he felt failed.

[Anonymous No.22542981]

>>22542855
>>22542881
>>22542913
>>22542926

Are you two idiots on every thread shouting filtered, retard, and mr. redditor at each other? I swear I see this exact same conversation everyday.

[Anonymous No.22542999]

>>22542981
I posted earlier but to reiterate, when two faggots have nothing of value to offer because they were filtered, they get upset to see other people actually engaging with the text at a level they can’t hope to reach. It makes them jealous and so they act out in rage.

[Anonymous No.22543009]

>>22542999
It’s just weird because I swear it plays out exactly the same everytime.

[Anonymous No.22543013]

>>22541706
The rats doing the dance with canes.
The Colonel suckling the poo
The dude fucking his daughter but not knowing if she's really his daughter in a kids park (really funny if think about loli culture now.)
Very funny book

I've read it twice but both times high so I never really learn anything smart to say about it, but it's definitely funny.

[Anonymous No.22543032]

>>22542967
You have terrible reading comprehension. My position is diametrically opposed to yours. Lol!

[Anonymous No.22543044]

>>22541706
Crying Lot was an amusing shitpost and he's been going along with the embarrassment of industry plant riches ever since. Gravity's Rainbow isn't notable, his wartime service in SIGINT and for the time arcane knowledge of German special weapons projects during WW2 is, just like his Cornell chum Vonnegut-- whom is at least honest and horse cocked.

[Anonymous No.22543046]

>>22543032
Opposed to offering OP something more meaningful than "filtered?"

[Anonymous No.22543090]

>>22543009
What else can you expect? That’s the extent of their midwit minds. Of course they can’t come up with anything more original.

[Anonymous No.22543200]

Pynched. :^)

[Anonymous No.22544093]

>>22541706
Im on page 463, it has been pretty wild, last funny thing was slothrop having to sneak into the potsdam conference area, fkin kek

[Anonymous No.22544131]

>>22542820
What >>22542734 is pointing out to you is that your take on the humor completely falls apart if you've read other Pynchon books and know that he does these sorts of jokes in all of them. The point of the humor is not some allusion to american idealism like you said it was here >>22542263 it's simply because Pynchon loves putting jokes in his work, their purpose is to be funny because he wants the books to be comical.

[Anonymous No.22544133]

>>22541706
It's not that funny, but the scene with the british candies made me laugh out loud.

[Anonymous No.22544253]

>>22542599
The other way around.