In Thomas Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow," the author draws parallels between film and calculus, describing them both as forms of 'pornographies of flight.' This metaphor implies that these mediums, while seemingly different, share an obsession with the theme of escape and the pursuit of transcendence. Film captures the visual experience of flight, enabling viewers to transcend their realities, while calculus offers a mathematical framework for understanding motion and change, symbolizing intellectual freedom.

This relationship suggests that both film and calculus offer ways to explore the concept of flight, albeit through different lenses. Pynchon's work often critiques the obsession with speed, technology, and the desire to break free from earthly constraints, positioning these 'pornographies of flight' as reflections of human desires and the Search for liberation. In this context, both mediums serve as vehicles for understanding and escaping the limitations of the physical world.