I do not agree with Rachel Adam’s assertions that postmodernism is somehow over, or that Tropic of Orange represents some sort of seismic shift in American literature that we will all inevitably follow.
First, a little defense of The Crying of Lot 49. Yes, I can understand that students respond to the text as if it is some sort of cruel hoax. That is because the novel is cruel in a way; it cannot be neatly wrapped up in a bow, it does not have a conclusive ending. The problem does not lie in the novel, it lies in the students, and also in the education system in the era of N.C.L.B. (I’ve been trying to get everyone to call it “Nickelby”, but it does not seem to be catching on). I do not want to go on an extended rant about education, but basically, the emphasis on standardized texting has led to a generation of students who are only interested in issues that are clearly black/white. Students today cannot stand ambiguity, it makes them nervous. To me, that is even more of a reason to continue teaching Pynchon, to take students out of their comfort zones. If I decided that every novel that my students did not like was no longer relevant, then I would be stuck teaching Twilight and that book by the Jon & Kate Plus Eight parents.
Also, if her students are unable to identify “the sharp polarization of the globe, fears of looming nuclear apocalypse, and … a government enmeshed in secrecy and conspiratorial activity,” then they are just not paying attention. What have we been doing for the last 8 years if not polarizing the globe? We are so entrenched in an “us vs. them” narrative that we felt the need to change the name of our fried potato treats. As the number of states that have nuclear weapons grows we should worry about a nuclear accident now more than ever. Pakistan, North Korea, and soon Iran are all unstable states that have nuclear capabilities (I just found out that South Africa is one of the 10 nuclear armed states, seemed pretty random). We went into Iraq under the assumption that Hussein was attempting to develop weapons of mass destruction. Also, it is not just nuclear annihilation we need to worry about, there are plenty of other ways that humanity can kill itself off (See: environment). The Bush Administration was incredibly “enmeshed in secrecy.” Look at all the shady stuff that is coming out: the US attorney firings, torture memos, secret prisons, roving death squads, illegal wiretapping, chupacabras, detaining prisoners illegally, not to mention the sweet, sweet bribes. The Bush Administration was a paranoid person’s dream (or nightmare, not sure which). I think it is hard to say that the main ideas behind postmodernism are no longer relevant.
I agree that “globalization” literature is an interesting field, and one that is very relevant to our current society. However, as Susana pointed out, I feel that it points in a new direction for postcolonial or transnational literature. And why does it have to be one or the other? Why does Adams feel that the rise of one type of literature automatically leads to the demise of another? Why can’t we all just get along?
I just want to add that I enjoyed Tropic of Orange very much, my beef is with the article, not the novel.