The Crying of Lot 49

Oedipa travels to Berkely to find a copy of her play that contained a line about Tristero. However, before going there, she visits Nefastis about a machine. The machne is called the Maxwell Demon. After running a few test, it turns out that Oedipa is not a “sensitive.” I believe that it is extremely strange that a Demom can figure out human emotions such like Oedipa. She then begins to evaluate her life experiences or thoughts, which to me is strange. Some of the things were Wells and Fargo Express and the muted post horn. I believe the strange part during this chapter was when Oedipa was herded into a gay bar. At the gay bar, I believe there was a sense of isolation especially when Oedipa meets a man wearing the Tristero button on the lapel of the shirt. The man refuses to reveal anything about Tristero to her. If I was in a gay bar with no one to talk to, I would feel horrible and alone, just like Oedipa. After the bar, it seems that Oedipa begins to go crazy, or delusional. Symbols and images of Tristero run through her head, and she can’t seem to think correctly. She meets Jesus Arrabel who knows Pierce. Everywhere she goes, Oedipa finds all these acronyms or maybe they are just hallucinations. A man out of no where in her hotel grabs her and they dance with no music playing. They dance for 30 minutes, however she isn’t bored. I believe the strange part was there a conductor. After encounters with the deaf man and the mail man, Oedipa wants to visit her husband. But before that, a psychiatrist, Hilarius goes crazy and is shooting everyone. The cops come and question Oedipa.