59 pages 1 hour read

Thomas Pynchon

Vineland

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1990

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

Chapters 7-9

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 7 Summary

Billy Barf and the Vomitones prepare to play the Wayvone wedding. The Wayvones are a wealthy family, but they are actually a “wholly owned subsidiary” (93), meaning that they own nothing while being paid a regular stipend by a parent corporation so that they can evade taxes. The family business, people believe, is organized crime, though their business has been mostly legitimate for a long time.

The band arrives at the wedding, dressed as Italians. They have disguised their typical punk tendencies and have adopted the name Gino Baglioni and the Paisans. This disguise is enough to get them through their first set. When the time comes for them to play classic Italian songs, however, they are found out. They are threatened with legal action “in small claims” (96).

In the restroom, Prairie meets a woman named Darryl Louise Chastain, known as DL. DL is Takeshi’s partner. She found Prairie via the business card. Prairie believes that DL is her mother’s friend. She listens to her explain the animosity between Brock Vond and Frenesi; Brock holds an indictment against Frenesi which will not expire. He has been chasing her for 15 years. According to DL, Brock wants to use Prairie as a bargaining chip to negotiate for her mother’s return.

Related Titles

By Thomas Pynchon

Plot Summary

logo

Bleeding Edge: A Novel

Thomas Pynchon

Bleeding Edge: A Novel

Thomas Pynchon

Study Guide

logo

Gravity's Rainbow

Thomas Pynchon

Gravity's Rainbow

Thomas Pynchon

Plot Summary

logo

Mason & Dixon

Thomas Pynchon

Mason & Dixon

Thomas Pynchon

Study Guide

logo

The Crying of Lot 49

Thomas Pynchon

The Crying of Lot 49

Thomas Pynchon