White Noise immediately introduces us to some of the reoccurring ideas of the
novel:
·
purchase and consumption
·
the overarching preoccupation with death
·
omnipresent television and mass media
·
the modern desire for individualism coupled with
the comfort of consensus
·
commentary on contemporary academia.
Discuss how the novel treats one of these topics by finding
examples where the topic is mentioned, then reflecting on how the author and/or
narrator approaches the topic. Are they
critical? Supportive? Neutral?
Do the opinions of the author and narrator differ? How do you know?
Also, since this book comments on modern society (as modern
as the 80’s came!), comment on how you see this topic reflected/discussed in
our society.
A caution: even though this is an informal writing, remember
to keep in mind qualities of good writing.
Use your own voice, but don’t throw out the window what you know of
strong vocabulary, sentence structure, and proper grammar. In a digital world where a message you write
today can haunt you in your job search, college application, and presidential
election, it’s important to think about what you post online. Welcome to modernity.
White Noise by Don Delillo starts out with a depiction of youth consumerism. College students spend their parent's money on an endless array of items.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator, Jack Gladney, watches this process for 20 years. White Noise has a major focusing point on consumption
and it is not only displayed in this opening scene. It is also displayed in the dinner table conversation
between Jack and his family, specifically his wife. His wife expresses her regret in buying food and wasting it, but at the same time she expresses guilt in not buying the food when she needs it.
A presence of mass media in culture is also illustrated in the conversation Jack has about the barn. There is a barn that is supposed to be the most photographed in the world, but its natural beauty is distorted by the enormous media presence. The barn becomes arbitrary.
Both the novel White Noise and its characters discuss the topic of death with an unflinching eye found rarely in literature and real life. On the fifteenth page, an unthinkable question for any married couple is introduced by the narrator: “Who will die first? This question comes up from time to time, like where are the car keys”(15). Later, in the discussion of his wive’s volunteering activities, Gladney calls out a silent yet central tenet of our modern culture: His attitude towards the question, both spoken and implicit, betrays the difference between the approach to the topic of death by society in general and by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn modern society, death is largely taboo to discuss. We have a series of very effective euphemisms - “golden years”, “passed away”, “laid to rest” - to describe the omnipresent precipice at the end of human life. Even amidst death itself, at a funeral or in a mortuary, there are strict rules and social constructs around the issue. But the people in White Noise have no such qualms; they openly think about and discuss death as often as we suppress thoughts about it. The honesty of the characters is brutal compared to the blinkeredness towards death of our daily lives.
The author brings up the subject of death a few times just within the first reading (pp 1 - 23). In society, death isn’t talked about very much, I might have an altered view because I am younger and maybe older people who do talk about it, refrain talking about it in the presence of children. Death in my life is a very sensitive subject but in “White Noise”, the author Don DeLillo, talks about it more openly. He views death as a peaceful phenomena: “Shouldn’t death, I thought, be a swan dive, graceful, white-winged and smooth, leaving the surface undisturbed?” (DeLillo, 18). He depicts it as heaven although he didn’t mention his beliefs or religion. When he writes about death he abruptly changes the subject. I thought this was because he didn’t want to talk too much about it out of respect for his readers.
ReplyDeleteOne theme of the book is the TV, which is always there. The second half of chapter 4 backs this up because it describes the TV having an "eerie brain-sucking power" (16). It criticizes it for being a center of life by it always present in the background and causes people to cry or be horrified by something non-existent or over exaggeratedly.
ReplyDeleteThe author and narrator seem to be on the same page with this because the narrator didn't stupidly say or think that, he just thought that it was true and wrote it down. The author would have had a adjective relating to stupidity if he disagreed or not include it at all in the chapter if he disagreed, so he should agree with this statement.
DeleteIn the book, White Noise, by Don Delillo the overarching preoccupation with death is brought up even in the beginning of the book. Chapter 5 starts off with his wife, Babette, reading horoscopes. “ I tried not to listen when she got to mine, although I think I wanted to listen, I think I sought some clues p. 18.” He thinks that his life is moving too fast, and doesn’t want to think about it but at the same time desperately wants answers.
ReplyDeleteThen later that day when he is falling asleep he feels a weird sensation and is concerned by it. “Is this what's it’s like, abrupt, peremptory? Shouldn’t death, I thought, be a swan dive, graceful, white-winged and smooth..p.18.” He feels this sudden fear of dying, but tries to reassure himself that that is not what dying feels like. Earlier that day before going to bed he overheard a commercial on the tv that he immediately associated with death. Clearly, the idea of death is something that Jack is preoccupied with and is anxious about.
great!
DeleteI think that the theme of the modern desire for individualism coupled with the comfort of consensus is a really intriguing topic that is emerging in this book. This theme cannot only be applied to this book, but also to American culture in general. In the book Babette, who wants to better herself by participating in societal good deeds, a healthy diet, and regular work regimen, portrays the representation of striving for individualism. All of these life choices are seemingly directed towards the individual, however in the larger scheme of things are directed towards becoming an acceptable member of society –– someone who is a part of the larger picture and together with others who strive for individual gain, something good.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of consensus through individual participation is when Jack and his family visit THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA. While here Jack remarks on how the barn itself is no longer significant, rather it is the act of photographing it that makes people so drawn to it. While the barn at one point may had been marveled upon for its beauty and grandeur, people no longer see it for what it once was: “[They] only see what the others see. The thousands that were here in the past, those who will come in the future. [They’ve] agreed to be part of a collected perception” (12).
The author of the novel White Noise, Don DeLillo, introduces a theme of purchase and consumption in the first few chapters. From the start, the narrator Jack notes the arrival of station wagons into the small college town he lives in. The station wagons are important because they represent the affluent societies that the families of the students come from. ""It's the day of the station wagons." "Did I miss it again? You're supposed to remind me.""(5) To Jack and his wife Babette, the station wagons represent a world that they are looking into; A world they are surrounded by but have never been a part of. There is a slight hint during the second chapter that Jack and Babette assume if they have a station wagon, they will be part of that world. When Jack and Babette come across Murray in the grocery store, Murray automatically begins explaining his reasoning behind buying generic food. He says, "Flavorless packaging appeals to me. I feel like i'm not only saving money but contributing to some kind of spiritual consensus."(19) as if he is assuming Jack and Babette are looking down on the fact that he is buying generic food. It introduces the reader to a culture where brand names are important, color is important, and money is important. This is the culture we live in today.
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ReplyDeleteWhite Noise by Don DeLillo comments on many ideas and topics, an interesting one being about the obsession of death. It is noted on as early as 15 pages into the book where our main character, Jack Gladney says “Who will die first?/ The question comes up from time to time, like where are the car keys. It ends a sentence, prolongs a glance between us... The question of dying becomes a wise reminder. It cures us of our innocence of the future.” (15). As mentioned, this topic has been brought up by both Jack and Babette often enough for him to treat it casually. It’s a very neutral paragraph, where this is brought up. However, it adds a bit of tension between the couple, “prolongs a glance between us” or “ends a sentence”. Either it really sobers up the two, or it’s something to end a conversation when it is not going as planned.
I think the author is putting a lot of himself into this quotation, especially with “The question of dying becomes a wise reminder. It cures us of our innocence of the future.” however, that can be uncertain as we have not seen any action as the reverse to counteract or change Jack’s opinion thusfar, so I have only to think that this is also the mindset of the author. Typically when an author is trying to get across a message, they may add characters who think the opposite, only to come across something to change our mind. It’s like how you deal with sexism or homophobia in meaning, you can tell the author is sexist or homophobic (being the given examples) if there is nothing done about the characters displaying that message. I did say this was early on in the book where the page counts up to 326. I can not be directly certain, only assuming. So, Jack and Don’s opinions on death appear to be the same so far into the book. Another point to look at could be on page 18 where Jack wonders where or not death should be “a swan dive, graceful, white-winged and smooth, leaving the surface undisturbed?” (18) where either Jack or Don or both believe that death should be quiet and shouldn’t leave much of an effect, as well as it can also relate to religion and purity with references to swans, grace, and whiteness. Don may be religious and is making a small connection to that without really imposing those views on Jack, but we don’t know yet. Again, it’s very early on in he book.
I feel like in modern society, death isn’t exactly understood nor is it taken seriously. I feel like Jack here was trying to be serious, but to me it came off more naiive (or like they were trying to be deep, but maybe it’s just because I disagree with most of the statement), like how perceive death. Popular expressions like “yolo” come to mind in this case. We do reckless things because we have not seen nor experienced its consequences. In a sense, they do differ because Jack wants no innocence for the future, where today we have too much. It appears as what we would assume as mature, and a grown-up way of looking at it all. In terms of lack of understanding, on age 18 when Jack questions on what death should be shows how little we actually know about what happens when we die. It’s the same thing today, as well as how peaceful and lovely he mentions how it should be, I feel like many people today also hope that it ends up that way.