Journey of self-discovery in The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchons The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchons challenges the perception of world of readers by enveloping its readers, by various means, in the complex framework of its story. It centers on heroine Oedipa Maas whose life is turned upside down when she discovers she has been named executor of the estate of former flame and entrepreneur Pierce Inverarity. When forced to travel to the fictional town of San Narcisco, where Inverarity owns extensive real estate, in order to carry out her task, Oedipa comes across a muted post horn; the first of many clues that lead her deep into the inscrutable conspiracy surrounding Trystero, an underground postal system shrouded in mystery and intrigue; open his eyes to an alternative way of life. This post-modern literary work infuses dark humor and irony, causing a metamorphosis of intellectually stimulating material; subsequently drawing us, its readers who unknowingly became part of the conspiracy, into the methodical chaos of Lot 49's weeping. Well known for incorporating fundamental ideas from philosophy and physics throughout his writings, Pynchon states that the “measure of the world is its entropy” (The Grim Phoenix, p. 2); a statement that extends to the worlds he created beneath the covers of his books. The observation structure that Pynchon constructed for viewing his creation has two distinct levels centered on those of his characters, notably Oedipa Maas, whose world is restricted to the confines of the composition and also that of the reader who stands at the 'outside. look within; but which is also affected by (h...... middle of paper ...... our inability to personally interact with the characters in the book, are linked to a perplexed cicerone who cannot see well enough to tell us the right direction Although Oedipa never discovers the hidden truth about whether or not there is a state-wide conspiracy involving Trystero, she eventually gives in to the innate paranoia of never knowing with. certainty as the reader came to the conclusion that it would be better to know that she is paranoid and accept it as a part of life in this society, then to deny her existence and live in doubt for it. the rest of her life, choosing to embrace the new self she discovered on her journey, as the reader Oedipa is reintroduced to the world at large and eyes wide open Works Cited: Pynchon, Thomas. The Crying of Lot 49. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.. 1965.