In The Cries of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon expresses a very interesting vision of entropy through the actions of Oedipa Maas. In communication theory, entropy is a measure of the effectiveness of a system, as a code or language, in transmitting information. Alternatively, the definition of entropy I will use is “the ultimate state reached in the degradation of matter in the universe: a state of inert uniformity of the constituent elements; an absence of form, pattern, hierarchy or differentiation. In Oedipa's adventures throughout the novel, Pynchon uses his attempt to settle Pierce's will as an example of the work of Maxwell's demon. Maxwell's demon is a container divided into two parts, A and B, by a division in which there is a small hole, which allows only the fastest molecules on one side and the slowest molecules on the other. The goal of Maxwell's demon is to contradict the second law of thermodynamics and, without work, to lower the temperature of A and increase the temperature of B. The principle of entropy is explained in the chaos that Oedipa discovers while traveling through California. Pynchon clearly proves the idea that information gathering is directly related to the measurement of disorder. Through Oedipa, Pynchon ultimately proves that Maxwell's demon cannot function. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay The basic working principle of Maxwell's demon is the ability to open and close a small hole between two parts of 'a container filled with air at uniform temperature. In her essay "Maxwell's Demon, Entropy, Information: The Cries of Lot 49", Anne Mangel states that "in The Cries of Lot 49, Pynchon uses the notion of Maxwell's demon as a metaphor for the experiences of Oedipus.” Oedipa illustrates this when she speaks of the loss of her men. She said: “They are stripping my men, one by one. My therapist, pursued by the Israelis, went crazy; my husband, on LSD, fumbles like a child further and further through the endless rooms and rooms of his elaborate confectionery and far, desperately far from what is past, I hoped forever, for love; my only extramarital man slept with a depraved 15 year old; my best guide at Trystero took a Brody. Where am I? (126). Oedipa symbolizes the devil because she allows people into her life and then excludes them. She lives in a conformist society, which represents the uniformity of Maxwell's demon. In the novel, Oedipa Mass is left as executor, dealing with the random inheritance, just as Maxwell's demon is called upon to regulate the randomness of molecules. Oedipa discovers extreme chaos around her, which is linked to the chaos of Maxwell's demon. As she begins to bring order to this chaos, she notices the enormity of entropy in society. She then begins her random journey through California, symbolizing the entropy of molecules moving in random directions. Oedipa's representation of the demon appears when she begins to sort the symbols and codes of society, as Maxwell's demon would begin to sort molecules. Oedipa discovers a lot of chaos in society during her journey through California. In particular, the acronyms WASTE, DEATH, and NADA in the novel all represent examples of entropy in communication. Through these words, Pynchon shows that the randomness of language has disturbing potential. Oedipa faces massive confusion when confronted with these words, and she notices the psychological effects these words can have on the people of California..