Focus on: art, affect and knowledge
6a. Reread the passage recalling Oedipa’s visit to an exhibition of Remedios Varo's paintings aloud several times (10–12). Pynchon writes, “Oedipa, perverse, had stood in front of the painting and cried” (11). First, briefly contextualize this sentence. That is, explain how, when, where and with whom Oedipa came to view Varo’s painting.
b. Then, refer to specific lines and phrases from the text to answer the following questions: Why was Oedipa moved to tears by viewing the Remedios Varo painting “Bordando el Manto Terrestre”? Why might the narrator have described Oedipa and/or her response as “perverse”? What knowledge is revealed to Oedipa “because of [the] painting”? Be as specific as possible, and address some of the significant details that Pynchon’s ornate narration provides. For example, you might remark upon the fact that Oedipa could “see the world refracted through those tears” (11 italics mine) and speculate on why she feels such a strong connection to the painting of the imprisoned girls. Try to find a reproduction of this painting in an art book or on the Internet.
