The Crying of Lot 49

After first reading the novel, I was very confused on what correlation it had with the history of Vietnam. This probably was due to the fact that the long, drawn out sentences had me re-reading almost every paragraph. The novel jumps back and forth from one scene to another, which is also very distracting. Despite the difficult reading, a few connections did occur to me after taking it all in.

I found that many of the events that take place in The Crying of Lot 49 are closely related to the American culture during the Vietnam War. The first connection I found was the reoccurring use of drugs and alcohol which, to my knowledge, became very popular in the 60s. In an attempt to escape reality, LSD was a common drug used during this time period, which is offered to Oedipa by her shrink. Although she refuses, her husband eventually takes it and becomes addicted, causing Oedipa to feel as if she has lost him completely. Oedipa may refuse the drugs, but on several occasions throughout her expedition, she relies on alcohol to clear her mind. Of course, her attempt is always unsuccessful and the alcohol leaves her to be just as lost. Oedipa also comes across Miles and his band, The Paranoids, who seem very similar to the pot smoking, rock and roll bands of the 1960s.

Another connection I found was the common feelings of isolation that Oedipa experiences and that many Americans also felt as the Vietnam War dragged on. Throughout the novel, Oedipa finds herself abandoned from the closest people she has in her life. Pierce dies, Metzger runs away, her shrink goes mad, and her husband finds a new addiction, leaving Oedipa with no one to turn to for help. She becomes obsessed with searching for more answers to the Tristero, but she finds herself even more confused with every bit of information that she discovers. In a way I believe this connects to the Vietnam War that seemed like a never ending battle, and in the end our hopes are let down. Oedipa refuses to give up on her search and she seeks help from those around her who, ultimately, bring her back to where she started, confused and alone. I believe many Americans shared this same feeling after the war as they contemplated whether or not it was worth fighting for.