Abstract

Towards the end of Vineland, many of the major characters find themselves (or do they?) at the Traverse-Becker family reunion. The gathering both represents the anti-traditional--because this long-time union family sees the California-sized faults in the American political structure in a way many do not--and yet is, by its very nature, a celebration of tradition. Of one of the oldest of traditions, the family meal, Pynchon writes: "It was the heart of this gathering meant to honor the bond between Eula Becker and Jess Traverse, that lay beneath, defined, and made sense of them all … they all kept an eye on the head of the table, where Jess and Eula sat together, each year smaller and more transparent … " (369). It is interesting and perhaps a bit discomforting to note that Eula Becker is also the name of a character in a short story entitled "Love is a Fallacy," by Max Shulman. In fact, she is only referred to rather than presented; specifically, she is referred to as an example of the post hoc, ergo propter hoc fallacy: "Eula Becker, her name is. It never fails. Every single time we take her on a picnic--[it rains]" (272).

How to Cite:

Wilcox, R., (1989) “Vineland and Dobie Gillis”, Pynchon Notes , 111-112. doi: https://doi.org/10.16995/pn.296