7.8 Essay #4 Rough Draft Literature & Language Essay

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7.8 Essay #4 Rough Draft
In the postmodern novel “White Noise” DeLillo portrays a society where there is mass consumerism reliance on technology and the fear of death. In the small University City, there is a toxic cloud, of a poisonous gas and the toxic even forces the characters to question their perceptions about death. The chemical cloud is a result of human activities and the people use technology, but is unable to control the outcomes. The characters have fear of death, yet death is natural and inevitable, while artificial technologies have increased danger and risks of death. The supermarket market fills a void in the people’s life who are used to mass consumerism and bombarded by too much information from television including advertising and market. The television mediates people’s experiences in the high-technology society where there is mass consumerism and fear of death.
The supermarket is a symbol of mass consumerism in American culture, and shopping fills a void the people’s lives. The market supersedes traditions and the characters meet at the supermarket as commercial transactions and consumerism take center stage. Jack tells Murray at the supermarket that he believed that it was a place that recharges people spiritually (DeLillo 22). The market, shopping, consumption and money reflect mass consumerism in the society and Jack feels blessed having the automated teller machine (ATM) in his life. In the last chapter, the shoppers feel betrayed and confused when the shelves are rearranged (Weekes 299). This signifies that despite many fond of shopping there is confusion in their lives just like in the final scene.
Television is another symbol in the novel, and Jack the main character consumes the news media too much, and the media informs his views and perceptions. The TV influences the consumer culture including the never-ending focus on disasters and advertising. Murray believes that television as a form of entertainment helps explain one of America’s cultural phenomena, but viewers need to evaluate whether there are hidden messages. Murray pointed out that the television was for those who neither looked nor listened (DeLillo 28). In the hyper-simulated atmosphere, the TV rituals bring the families together, but there is little interaction and their understanding of the world around them is mediated by the electronic media. There is too much television, but the people focus on the mundane and rather than getting to understand what is shown. There is constant flow of information that the viewers’ prefer watching catastrophes on television as this is what gets their attention.
Reliance on technology and media mediates the people’s desires, and many fail to understand the negative impact of technology on the people and the environment. There have been technological changes since 1985 since the book was published and in the world of White Noise, there are computers, the murmurs of television, sirens, radio broadcasts, ultrasonic and electronic waves. Furthermore, there are dangers brought about by technology including the airborne toxic gas, and yet Jack is fixated on natural catastrophes and ignores the dangers associated with manmade accident causing environmental disasters.
Electronic media informs the viewers, but it also conditions and distorts, and Jack Gladney’s family who are fond of television, but they do not get knowledgeable from watching TV. The atmosphere is polluted by electronic media and Heinrich, who is Jack’s son understands that the electronic devices are toxic than the airborne event, because of their radiations. Media and the technology of electronics are closely intertwined as technological advancement made it possible to reach more viewers. The media is powerful as it shapes the viewers’ perceptions and even beliefs. The media culture has penetrated different aspects of life in the novel and there is no ample family time, and the people are glued to their televisions as reflected in Jack Gladney, his wife and their children.
Jack teaches Hitler Studies and while he has no emotional reaction to Hitler and Hitler is a symbol of power and authority, but he ignores his genocidal legacy. Jack lacks knowledge of the German language and is awed by Hitler’s persona and his focus on the historical figure allows him to believe that it is possible to overcome his anxieties if he an overcome death and the fear of mortality. Jack lives a life of uncertainties and he is obsessed with power, authority and control as a way to bring stability in his life. Jack pointed out that he gave his son the name Heinrich as he believed it signified forcefulness and power, but the woman in return stated that the Germans had lost the war and they were not that great (DeLillo 33). Jack ignores Hitler’s atrocities and even when is keen on using German symbols he fails to exercise authority.
White Noise is set is Blacksmith, a small university city in Middle America. Jack teaches at College-on-the-Hill even in the small-town setting the atmosphere is characterized by the widespread reliance on electronic media and mass consumerism just like the big cities. Despite the town having people working at the universit...