Abstract

Thomas Pynchon's short story "The Small Rain" appeared in The Cornell Writer in March 1959. To date, hypotheses as to the source of the title and its relation to the story have been unsatisfactory. This essay is concerned with an aspect of the story which Pynchon, writing in the introduction to Slow Learner: Early Stories, now feels detracts from the work: "Apparently I felt I had to put on a whole extra overlay of rain images…" Whatever the implications of this self-criticism, the allusion of the title and its ramifications for the story nevertheless require correct identification.

How to Cite:

Darabaner, R., (1984) “A Possible Source for the Title of "The Small Rain"”, Pynchon Notes 15, 69-72. doi: https://doi.org/10.16995/pn.388