Denial of Death
One of the major focuses of Don DeLillio's White Noise is death. In this novel DeLillio over emphasizes the concept of death and the fear mankind has of it. He plays on our fear of death and the reality and certainty we have of our own demise. Through two of his main characters, Jack and Babette, DeLillio demonstrates this fear irrationally. Their phobia of death causes both characters to develop plots to avoid and deny their own deaths. "All plots tend to move deathward"(p26). This is very ironic logic that DeLillio has Jack use in his discussion with the department heads. Jack plotted to create an image for himself. Jack's whole personification is one that is larger than life, therefore larger than death. After all he walks the campus in a dark, flowing robe and wearing large dark glasses. He is known as J.A.K. Gladney, the originator of Hitler studies, a role in which he can hide from life. This is a concept most individuals are guil
The over exaggeration of death and the fear of it through out the novel serves to demonstrate how irrational this fear is. Based upon his rage of Babette's betrayal and his own desire to have control over his fear of death, Jack seeks a mean in which he can triumph over both. He and Babette enjoy a marriage that allows them to talk openly and intimately about everything, except death; their deepest fear. "(p15) Neither character wants to be the last to die. She answers an ad entitled "FEAR OF DEATH". With this new rational, Jack believes that he can change who he is fundamentally, from a dier to a killer. To die alone is the ultimate betrayal. " (p 291) With this sentence DeLillio tries to destroy our irrational fears of death. Abandoned by the one you love, whether it is because they preceded you in death or for other reasons is probably the most devastating experience any human being could imagine. This is one of the disturbing possibilities of the reality of own death that DeLillio touches. He raises the question whether it is possible to defeat death or even postpone it. Though not grand as Jack's our personifications allows us to hide our deepest fears and to create a shield between the world and us. (p 290, 291) It is in this concept that DeLillio questions our concept of certainty. In his professional life Jack is able to disguise himself from death.
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