03.03: The Crying of Lot 49

In which we continue our analysis of The Crying of Lot 49.

Oedipa gets something of a curious letter and, later, visits a bar frequented by Yoyodyne employees. In a restroom stall she’ll discover a curious symbol – easily the most recognizable of Pynchon’s symbols. She’ll be told about the W.A.S.T.E. mail system and a little history of mail systems in the United States. She, Metzger, and the Paranoids will travel out to Lake Inverarity where they’ll meet Manny DiPresso. From him they’ll learn of the bones in the lake and of a play being put on by a local theater troupe called The Courier’s Tragedy…

…which we’ll have to save for the next episode because it’s already too much!