Names in 'The Crying of Lot 49'

The symbolism of names and puns in “The Crying of Lot 49” is most certainly a significant part of understanding the text. Mucho Maas’ name and the name of his radio station are especially key parts to understanding the relationship between Oedipa and her husband.
Oedipa’s husband’s name (Mucho Maas) sounds very similar to the Spanish phrase ‘mucho mas’, which means ‘much more’. The full significance of this name will most likely be revealed later in the novel but, after reading the first chapter, this name already holds a certain amount of import. Perhaps this phrase ‘much more’ is in reference to Oedipa’s perception of her husband, and the plethora (‘much more’) of conflicting feelings that she feels towards him. She acknowledges that she had hoped to escape something through her relationship with Pierce, although she does not remember what she wanted to escape . This leads readers to believe that perhaps she wanted to escape her marriage with Mucho. She also questions Mucho’s mental capabilities; she is not only unsure about her relationship with Mucho, but also about Mucho himself. And yet, she still remains with him, demonstrating the conflicting emotions which she hold towards him.
The name of Mucho’s radio station is also demonstrative of Oedipa’s conflicting emotions and opinions towards her husband and things associated with him. His radio station (KCUF) is actually ‘fuck’ spelled backwards. Because this word generally has negative connotations, it can be concluded that Oedipa’s view of her husband is not entirely positive, and yet somehow she still remains with him.
By reflecting Oedipa’s opinion through the usage of names in this novel, I am of course making the assumption that Pynchon is portraying these other characters through Oedipa’s perspective. This idea is probable, as Oedipa herself has a name very similar to Oedipus, a renowned Greek hero, and this name reflects her status as the protagonist and main character of the novel. Assuming that this is true, and that she is indeed the main character of the novel, it can be concluded that the usage of names in this novel is representative of Oedipa’s conflicting emotions towards her marriage.