When starting a new book, I tend to judge it immediately based entirely on the first few pages. This probably isn't the best habit, but it's just the way I read. And so it is with Gravity's Rainbow. When launching into this monstrous novel, I first noticed the wealth of imagery, presented in the form of stream-of-conscious, abstract details. I was especially struck by the repetition of light/darkness imagery. On the first page alone, Pynchon describes "glass somewhere far above that would let the light of day through", "total blackout, without one glint of light", and "velveteen darkness". I was impressed by the poetic, if somewhat sporadic, way in which Pynchon presents his ideas. As I continued to read I saw that my first impression was not amiss. Pynchon's use of imagery continues at this high standard throughout the first part of the novel, and hopefully will do so throughout the next 600 pages (after all, if it doesn't, I'm not sure how I'll manage to get through them...).