The Crying of Lot 49 Isolation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #10

San Narciso was a name; an incident among our climactic records of dreams and what dreams became among our accumulated daylight, a moment's squall-lie or tornado's touchdown among the higher, more continental solemnities—storm-systems of group suffering and need, prevailing winds of affluence. (6.144)

How does Oedipa's own predicament inform her vision of what America is? Why do you think she describes mass "suffering and need" in terms of climactic movements?