The quote from Thomas Pynchon's "Vineland" portrays a stark, dehumanizing image of an individual reduced to their primal state. It reflects themes of control, subjugation, and the loss of agency. The comparison to an animal evokes feelings of despair and a sense of being trapped, stripped of dignity and identity.
This vivid metaphor serves to highlight the societal forces that attempt to oppress and commodify individuals, reducing them to mere physical existence. Through powerful imagery, Pynchon critiques a world that seeks to dominate and redefine humanity through suffering and surrender.