Against the Day: Chapter 9

Against the Day: Chapter 9

Author: Thomas Pynchon books discussed here! January 17, 2025 Duration: 2:05:50

This week in Mapping the Zone: Movement appears stalled. Not only do we remain with the Traverse household, but the only motion to be found is that of the mind. Kit begins to fathom the depth of Vectorism through the primal texts of electicity, and who is to find his talents but Nikola Tesla? It turns out, the understudy-in-perpetuity to Vibe, Foley Walker. The Earth may be striving to destroy our schedule, but the intrepids of this show shall not rest until we've ridden lightning through its heart.

We had planned on covering Chapters 9-10 in this episode, but by the time we were done recording, we had around 5 1/2 hours of audio, so the decision was made to split it into two episodes. As such, this episode ends with our discussion of Chapter 9—quotes, "Most 'Pynchon' Part" and details about our Part One wrap-up episode will be at the end of the Chapter 10 episode in two weeks.

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:

Quaternions (somewhat) explained: https://eater.net/quaternions

Civil War Draft Records article by Michael T. Meier: https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1994/winter/civil-war-draft-records.html

Spirits of the Land: A Tool for Social Education by Ólina Thorvarðardóttir: http://www.literature.at/viewer.alo?objid=14721&viewmode=fullscreen&scale=3.33&rotate=&page=35

Films/TV: The Knick (2014-2015)

Music: “Cat’s In the Cradle” - Harry Chapin, “Father and Son” - Cat Stevens

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Dense, sprawling, and endlessly rewarding, the novels of Thomas Pynchon invite the kind of conversation that can last for hours. That’s precisely what you’ll find on Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast. Instead of dry literary analysis, this series offers the lively, sometimes meandering, talk of four dedicated fans unpacking these complex texts together. They approach each book as an adventure, tracing its winding plots, deciphering its historical and pop culture references, and debating the fate of its many peculiar characters. The tone is accessible and enthusiastic, driven by a genuine love for the material rather than an academic agenda. You’re essentially listening in on a great, ongoing book club discussion where the jokes are as welcome as the insights. Whether you’re a seasoned Pynchon veteran looking to compare notes or a curious newcomer daunted by the sheer scale of the work, this podcast provides a companionable guide through the zones of paranoia, coincidence, and profound humanity that define the author’s world. It’s a space where the pleasure of the text is taken seriously, one deep-dive episode at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast
Podcast Episodes
Against the Day: Chapter 19 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:29:06
With how things have gotten so real these past few eps, it's time to see what Lew's been up to in cheery old Inglund! These chaps, Nigel and Nuisance or whatbeit, who've already brung him across the world just have not s…
Against the Day: Chapter 18 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:48
This week we wander through Jeshimon and track Reef as he rescues his father's harried remains from the just yet supernatural decay they'd have suffered in the desecrate airs of the town. Though Webb may rest his childre…
Against the Day: Chapters 16-17 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:22
Checking in on the Traverse household, things are looking ... somber. As happy as the hosts are to all be present and accountable, the mood is somewhat dampened by the final ties breaking between Lake and her father, and…
Against the Day: Chapters 14-15 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:16:20
The Harvard-Yale game brings us by vector analysis to rearrive upon the scraggly isthmus of Long Island. The tales of Vibes are much rehearsed, wooing Kit between Dittany eyelashes and forms seen lonesome in the hallways…
Against the Day: Chapters 12-13 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:16:16
As with the Chums from the center of the Earth, we return from temporary distraction, and yea, what hath time wrought? What did this planet itself cradle slumbering beneath its frozen extremities? What idols have we foun…
Against the Day: Chapter 11 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:33:31
We are thrilled to finally return to Against the Day and we are finally covering Part II - Icelandic Spar! We had planned on covering Chapters 11 and 12 in this episode, however we quickly realized that there was just to…
Bonus Episode - Alex Pheby [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:58
If you've listened to this show for any amount of time, you've probably heard Cody mention the Cities of the Weft trilogy by Alex Pheby, a phenomenal dark fantasy series that explores a number of fascinating themes and c…
Bonus Episode - David Foster Wallace (w/ Johan Harstad) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:08:46
We're back (kind of) with a bonus episode covering David Foster Wallace—his life, his work, and why you should (or shouldn't) read his work. Joining us in this conversation is our friend and fellow DFW enthusiast, Johan…
Slow Learner: Introduction & The Small Rain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:38
We're going to be covering the short stories in Slow Learner after each section of Against the Day, as we are going through that. This episode we discuss The Small Rain, Pynchon's first published short story. What we lik…
Bonus Episode - Talkin' It Up with Johan Harstad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:47
After discussing Part One of Against the Day, we spent some time talking with our guest, Johan Harstad, about whatever came to mind—the music of Hüsker Dü, David Foster Wallace, the films of Ingmar Bergman, and so much e…