Which postwar author is known for metafiction and a skeptical view of reality in postmodern fiction, with works like The Crying of Lot 49 and Gravity's Rainbow?

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Metafiction and a skeptical view of reality anchor postmodern fiction, and Thomas Pynchon embodies that approach. The Crying of Lot 49 uses self-conscious narration, puzzling codes, and invented systems that constantly remind you the story is a constructed artifact. Gravity’s Rainbow intensifies this with an encyclopedic, labyrinthine structure that interrupts itself with notes and references, suggesting reality is mediated by technology, institutions, and language rather than fixed truths. These traits—self-reflexive storytelling, paranoia about objective truth, and heavy formal play—point to Pynchon as the best fit. While other postwar writers like Kurt Vonnegut, Don DeLillo, and John Barth also experiment with metafiction and skepticism, the specific pairing of these two novels identifies Thomas Pynchon.