Entropy

Thomas Pynchon wrote Slow Learner, a collection of stories, which was published in 1984, which includes the story Entropy. The collection includes five stories written during his formative years as a writer, spanning the period from 1958 to 1964. Our book group focused on the one story in particular: Entropy.

The stories in "Slow Learner" generally showcase Pynchon's experimentation with different styles, themes, and narrative techniques. Each story offers a glimpse into Pynchon's early literary development. We see explorations of various genres, including science fiction, detective fiction, and satire.

The collection begins with the story "The Small Rain," which follows a protagonist navigating a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world. Other stories include "Low-lands," a noir detective tale with a twist. And "Entropy," which explores the concept of disorder through a chaotic New Year's Eve party.

Through these stories, Pynchon displays his interest in themes such as paranoia, entropy, and the tension between order and chaos. His writing style is characterized by intricate wordplay, dense symbolism, and a penchant for blending pop culture references with philosophical musings.

Slow Learner serves as a window into Pynchon's early literary experiments, which provides insights into the themes that interest him. Such would later become hallmarks of later novels, such as Gravity's Rainbow, Mason & Dixon, and The Crying of Lot 49.

Of particular note is Pynchon's commentary on his own early work, which he would never repeat.