“A Journey into the Mind of Watts” and Crying of Lot 49

I found Pynchon’s “A Journey into the Mind of Watts” much easier to follow than Crying of Lot 49. “Watts” is clear and organized, while Lot 49 seems to jump around, leaving its reader in a state of confusion. “Watts” somewhat follows an order, making a statement and then backing up that statement with an example or explanation, while Lot 49 tells a story that becomes more mystifying as it progresses. I do realize that we are dealing with fiction and nonfiction pieces, and that facts are usually easier to comprehend, but the way “Watts” is organized makes it so much easier to follow. Pynchon utilizes rhetoric in both pieces. In “Watts” he concentrates more on emotional appeals and details, simply trying to get the facts across, with his own opinion on the matter in there. Lot 49 is purposely more complex, using heightened language and symbolism, causing the reader to read between the lines and really think about what Pynchon is trying to say without actually writing it.