More references...

It is amazing how many historical, religious and pop culture references, both obvious and hidden in the text, Pynchon fit into the first two chapters. When all of these references are brought together they form a sort of second story that resides just beneath the main story. In the first chapter there are numerous connections to German history scattered everywhere. Mazatlan experienced a rush of German immigrants in the mid 1800s, Bartok, the composer, was forced into exile by the Nazis, Gestapo officers were the secret police for the Nazis and Die Brucke (or “the bridge”) was a group of young German artists who had a major impact on modern art by painting violent images with emotional tension. They were also brought down by the Nazis. The name Metzger means “butcher” in German and Wendell’s last name, Maas, although more likely a play on the Spanish word, “mas” meaning “more”, also means “web” or “network” in German.
Several of these references could be ways to voice Pynchon’s opinion on various political events that were taking place in the 60s or had taken place before. Of the three references to people who were exiled two were exiled by the Nazis (Bartok and Die Brucke). Kubitschek, one of the lawyers names, might be Juscelino Kubitschek who was the democratically elected President of Brazil and was forced into exile by the CIA because they anticipated his cooperation with Communists. The fact that the CIA is mentioned alongside the Nazis as exiling people might be a clue as to how Pynchon felt about the U.S. government at that time. Jay Gould was an American Financier who is considered one of the most immoral people of the past century, and since his portrait was hanging above Pierce’s wall this shows what type of person he was.
Also, in chapter 2 the Greek myth of Narcissus (the town she goes to is San Narciso) plays a huge role in the background of the story and what is happening to Oedipa. Echo was a nymph who fell in love with Narcissus, a man of great beauty and even greater conceit. He ignores Echo and eventually dies and turn into a flower in front of his own reflection. This can easily be compared to the situation between Oedipa and Metzger, and there are several references to the myth with the hotel name and the pool.