The Crying of Lot 49

The Crying of Lot 49

by

Thomas Pynchon

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Crying of Lot 49 makes teaching easy.
Fallopian is a paranoid Yoyodyne employee whom Oedipa frequently meets at a San Narciso bar called The Scope. Fallopian is writing a book on the conflict between the American government and private postal companies in the 19th century, and he tells Oedipa and Metzger about the secret postal system he is starting through the underground Peter Pinguid Society. However, when he actually receives mail through the Society, it turns out to be a meaningless greeting from a coworker who is in the same bar. Later, Oedipa realizes that this system might be the same as W.A.S.T.E. In fact, although Fallopian is the first person who introduces Oedipa to string of revelations that later gets her obsessed with the Tristero, at the end of the book, Fallopian actually tries to talk Oedipa out of her conspiracy theory by pointing out that Pierce Inverarity is the common thread among everything she has identified with Tristero. In other words, while Oedipa initially sees Fallopian as a paranoid nutjob, the script is flipped and Oedipa looks like the crazy one by the end of the novel. Fallopian’s surname is a reference to the Fallopian tubes in the female reproductive system, although the narrator suggests that the name is actually just a reflection of his Armenian heritage.

Mike Fallopian Quotes in The Crying of Lot 49

The The Crying of Lot 49 quotes below are all either spoken by Mike Fallopian or refer to Mike Fallopian. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Conspiracy, Interpretation, and Meaning Theme Icon
).
Chapter 3 Quotes

“It’s the principle,” Fallopian agreed, sounding defensive. “To keep it up to some kind of a reasonable volume, each member has to send at least one letter a week through the Yoyodyne system. If you don’t, you get fined.” He opened his letter and showed Oedipa and Metzger.

Dear Mike, it said, how are you? Just thought I’d drop you a note. How’s your book coming? Guess that’s all for now. See you at The Scope.

“That’s how it is,” Fallopian confessed bitterly, “most of the time.”

Related Characters: Mike Fallopian (speaker), Oedipa Maas, Metzger
Related Symbols: Mail
Page Number: 39
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

High above the L.A. freeways,
And the traffic's whine,
Stands the well-known Galactronics
Branch of Yoyodyne.
To the end, we swear undying
Loyalty to you,
Pink pavilions bravely shining,
Palm trees tall and true.

Related Characters: Oedipa Maas, Pierce Inverarity, Mike Fallopian, Stanley Koteks
Related Symbols: Cars, Smog, and Freeways
Page Number: 65
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Crying of Lot 49 LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Crying of Lot 49 PDF

Mike Fallopian Quotes in The Crying of Lot 49

The The Crying of Lot 49 quotes below are all either spoken by Mike Fallopian or refer to Mike Fallopian. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Conspiracy, Interpretation, and Meaning Theme Icon
).
Chapter 3 Quotes

“It’s the principle,” Fallopian agreed, sounding defensive. “To keep it up to some kind of a reasonable volume, each member has to send at least one letter a week through the Yoyodyne system. If you don’t, you get fined.” He opened his letter and showed Oedipa and Metzger.

Dear Mike, it said, how are you? Just thought I’d drop you a note. How’s your book coming? Guess that’s all for now. See you at The Scope.

“That’s how it is,” Fallopian confessed bitterly, “most of the time.”

Related Characters: Mike Fallopian (speaker), Oedipa Maas, Metzger
Related Symbols: Mail
Page Number: 39
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

High above the L.A. freeways,
And the traffic's whine,
Stands the well-known Galactronics
Branch of Yoyodyne.
To the end, we swear undying
Loyalty to you,
Pink pavilions bravely shining,
Palm trees tall and true.

Related Characters: Oedipa Maas, Pierce Inverarity, Mike Fallopian, Stanley Koteks
Related Symbols: Cars, Smog, and Freeways
Page Number: 65
Explanation and Analysis: