Thomas Pynchon is no stranger to using shocking imagery to get his point across. V. (1963), his first full-length novel, is no exception, containing many instances of rape or attempted rape. The book’s third chapter, however, features a scene that is not explicitly an instance of sexual violence, yet arguably invokes in the reader the same highly invasive, uncomfortable feeling it would if it were an explicit description of rape. In this paper, I will pinpoint the reasons why this might be the case by comparing the second part of the chapter, a seemingly innocent rhinoplasty scene, to the more apparent mentions of rape throughout the book. Particular attention will be paid to similarities in imagery, the agency of the respective victims, and the reactions of male and female witnesses. Additionally, because there seems to be an aspect to the scene that implies it was intended as a metaphor for consensual sex, I will determine what the success or failure of this intended metaphor means for Pynchon’s philosophy on female consent.
View More Implicit Rape and Female Consent in Thomas Pynchon’s V.Author: Sofie Schrey
Sofie Schrey is a PhD candidate in English and Creative Writing at Northumbria University, where she is part of the Environmental Humanities Research Group. She holds a BA and an MA in Applied Linguistics and a MA in Linguistics and Literature. Her research thus far has focused on nature and wilderness representations across written and visual mediums in 19th Century and Modern Literature. Her main research interests are Ecocriticism and Landscape Studies, with additional interests in Mythology, Gender Studies and Natural History. She is an active member of Arcadiana (EASLCE) and currently holds a three year mandate as an Assistant Editor for Ecozon@ Journal.
ORCHiD: 0000-0001-9267-7833
RG: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sofie-Schrey