[asimpletune]

The literary device in the novel is effect preceding cause. Like, very early in the book the hypersonic v2 - and how series it is for things to blow up and then you hear it - is introduced, but if you miss it then that then you miss all the other times we see the same concept.

[jandrese]

That's not effect preceding cause, that's just sound moving slower than something else! The sonic boom didn't blow up the tenements, the faster than sound missile did.

[nemo44x]

And to be fair, Pynchon reiterates that quite a bit throughout the novel. And it is a fascinating thought every time. Terrifying really.