Character Clues
Character Analysis
Names
Pynchon is known for giving his characters crazy-symbolic names. In fact, the names are so absurdly symbolic that it is hard not to see them as a joke. The main character in Lot 49 has the unbelievable name Oedipa Maas, and if that isn't enough, she confides in a man who claims to be named Mike Fallopian. Yet in a short novel with over twenty characters, we often don't know too much more about characters than their names.
Jokes or not, some of the names reveal a great deal about the symbolic purpose of particular characters. Oedipa, like her namesake Oedipus, struggles not to be overwhelmed by the power of myth. Throughout the novel, she struggles to find out the truth about Pierce Inverarity's estate—she wants to pierce (or penetrate) the verity (or truth).
Actions
Characters' actions, like their names, are often totally unbelievable. A bunch of these characters go straight down the rabbit hole of sheer absurdity. For example, Hilarius goes insane, takes Oedipa hostage, and admits that he was a Nazi in World War II. The wha?
Manny Di Presso is found literally hiding from his client Tony Jaguar (we meet him when he emerges from under a blue tarp wearing scuba gear).
What's interesting, though, is that Oedipa—who's the most fully developed character in the book—is super, super reluctant to act at all. It seems like she's worried that if she presses too hard on the mystery of the Tristero, she'll realize that it's all an illusion and will lose her hold on reality.
Speech and Dialogue
The Crying of Lot 49 is a book full of conversations and monologues. Oedipa is one of the quietest characters in the book… simply because she's left listening to everyone else talk.
Randolph Driblette reveals a lot about himself (and his supersized ego) when he claims, "I'm the projector at the planetarium" (3.167). Metzger reveals himself as a misogynist when he tells Oedipa smugly (they've just hooked up) that Pierce told him "she wouldn't be easy" (2.110). Since so many characters only pop up for a monologue and then disappear into the background, it's worth considering their words carefully as we attempt to learn more about them.
Thoughts and Opinions
In Chapter One, we learn a ton about Wendell "Mucho" Maas's inner life. We learn that he hated his old job as a used car salesman passionately and was disgusted by what he found in people's cars. Toward the end of the novel, Oedipa's mind seems to expand and we learn all about how she sees her role in the world, as well as the relationship between Tristero and America.
Some critics have argued that these hyper-articulate inner monologues come across as artificial, and Pynchon uses them only sporadically. Yet the point is clear: Pynchon doesn't always take time to fully develop the inner lives of his characters. But he can, and he can do so insanely well.