An Analysis of Literary Devices and Themes in Gravity's Rainbow

This report provides an analysis of Thomas Pynchon's novel, Gravity's Rainbow. It focuses on the literary devices employed, such as metaphor and epigraph, and explores the themes of postmodernism, fragmentation, and the impact of World War II. The report examines the novel's structure, the use of scientific concepts, and the role of analytical thinking in understanding the text. It highlights the novel's setting during the end of World War II and the context of the V-2 rocket program. The report also references key scholarly sources to support its analysis of the novel's themes and literary techniques. The analysis covers the novel's exploration of the blurring of the sacred and secular, and the complexities of human experience within a historical and technological context.

Running head: GRAVITY’S RAINBOW
GRAVITY’S RAINBOW
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Author Note

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2. The literary devices that have been used in Gravity’s Window are:
1. Metaphor: Metaphor can be defined as a figure of speech that directly refers to one thing
by mentioning another. A typical example of a metaphor is comparing a particular object
with another object or a being. For instance, She is as innocent as an angel. In Gravity’s
Rainbow, the concept of “Zero” has been compared to a space between life and death or a
point where dream meets reality (Friedman and Manfred).
2. Epigraph: An epigraph is a short quotation that is set at the beginning of a text or section
of a text that suggest the upcoming theme of the story. Gravity’s Rainbow possess an
epigraph written by rocket scientist Wernher Von Braun which reflects the theme of the
entire novel (Friedman and Manfred).
Post modernity: The novel Gravity’s Rainbow is based on postmodern thoughts and philosophy
possessing the concepts like fragmentation, paradox and post-structuralism on the backdrop of
gruesome World War II (Maltby).
Postmodern science: The novel Gravity’s Rainbow is based on postmodern science which is
based on non-realist form of knowledge production to meet the personal and spiritual needs of
the readers (Maltby).
Analytical thinking: The novel Gravity’s Rainbow is highly based on analytical thinking as it
consists of fragmentations, paradoxes, ambiguity, postmodern science and other post structuralist
realism which needs a deep insight to comprehend and understand.
Summary of Gravity’s Rainbow Part 1

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Gravity’s Rainbow is a 1973 novel written by American writer Thomas Pynchon that is
set in Europe at the end of World War II and revolves around the design, production and dispatch
of V-2 rockets by the German military. Part 1 of the novel, Beyond the Zero, exhibits lack of
total extinction of a conditional stimulus. It has an epigraph by the scientist Wernher Von Braun
which reflects themes of speculated redemption and blurring of the sacred and secular
(Pynchon).

3GRAVITY’S RAINBOW
References:
Friedman, Alan J., and Manfred Puetz. "Science as Metaphor: Thomas Pynchon and" Gravity's
Rainbow"." Contemporary Literature 15.3 (1974): 345-359.
Maltby, Paul. Dissident Postmodernists: Barthelme, Coover, Pynchon. University of
Pennsylvania Press, 1991.
Pynchon, Thomas. "Gravity's Rainbow (1973)." (1975).