the online Gravity's Rainbow reference

Episode Notes for "Beyond The Zero", Episode 1

Causality and the V-2 Strike Sequence

Many aspects of Pirate's dream deal with causality; 'When it comes, will it come in darkness or will it bring its own light? Will the light come before or after?'¹, a theme mirrored by the counter-intuitive strike sequence of the V-2. Since V-2 rockets fly at supersonic speeds, a strike will first be seen or felt and only heard if the strike is survived. Pirate however sees a third way of detecting the rocket's presence, thereby subverting the binary process which seems logical; if the rocket were to strike directly on top of your head you would know, for a split second, of its ‘terrible mass’ above you. It is also notable that this is only possible with a ground-detonated rocket as any form of air-burst would mean that the intended target would never be struck. This inversion of cause and effect has important resonances for the structure of the later part of the text.

Gravity

Here the concept of the rocket's arc is introduced to the reader. At the point of Brennschluss the rocket is guided solely by inertia and gravity. This is mirrored in Bloat's descent from the balcony whereby he is in his current predicament by virtue of his own actions, but it is gravity that pulls him towards his target. Furthermore, the fact that Bloat was intoxicated when he moved under his own inertia is somewhat symbolic of the launch sequence of the V-2 (a weapon with an accuracy circular error probable of 11 miles, meaning that 50% of strikes would land within 11 miles of the intended target; a very low accuracy rate) being chaotic or "drunken".

Futility

Pirate contemplates warning others of his knowledge of the impending rocket strike but decides against it owing to the fact that it is impossible to avoid a rocket of this speed and with no audible forewarning. This mirrors his initial opinion of the evacuation of London being "theatre"; an event which is occurring too late in the war to be useful.

<<< go back

references

<<< go back