Power, Technology and Faith: the Rocket as Machine God in Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow

Abstract

The major objective of this study is to illuminate the prevailing power structures at work in Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow (1973) and determine their origin and legitimation. The structure of this thesis will follow the title’s indication of the progression of power in the novel: it will successively examine the nature of power, technology and faith in order to argue that the relationship between the former two is based on the latter. Just as technology has accelerated power, so does faith lend itself to the purpose of domination as religious faith is transformed into power and machine worship. This is made symbolic by the V-2 rocket that dominates the narrative, as it serves as a symbol for God that elicits worship from the characters. Ultimately, this thesis will conclude that it is the Church’s authority that has enabled the novel’s abuse of power as the structures in Gravity’s Rainbow emulate a religious organization and gain acquiescence through their evocation of religious faith.