White Noise, 2) Part 3 thru End

[Janine]

Please discuss Part 3 through to the end of White Noise here.

[Irene]

I finished and am not sure why this book made it onto Times list of best books of the last century. What did others think of the book? Did the satire work? Did you find it funny, challenging, thought-provoking? Did you find the satirical commentary on modern social patterns still relevant?

[Janine]

I haven't finished reading the book, but was looking into how it became so well regarded, etc. On my travels I found a few questions that I thought were interesting in addition to Irene's questions (and I think Irene's question about its onging relevance is really thought provoking).

These are the questions I found:
- How does disaster affect Jack and his family? How does each deal with the disaster after they each come face-to-face with the airborne disaster?
- Explain the concept of believing in an afterlife in relation to death. How do the nuns feel about non-believers?
- How does the power of suggestion affect the family during the disaster?
- How does Jack define Babette's sense of self?
- What role does the television play in relation to Jack and his family?
- What is the irony on the SIMULVAC team during and after the airborne disaster?
- Describe the way the family communicates with each other during family conversations as well as one-on-one conversations.
- What is Murray's role in relation to the Gladney family? Why is he so enthralled with their behavior?

I think these are better suited to the second part of the discussion when people have read further?

[Nelliew]

I have finished now as well. I think if I had read this book ten years ago I would have enjoyed it more (but that's just a personal commentary on me as a reader). And I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had read it in the 1980s. But reading it now was kind of tedious. Too clever. Too self-aware.

But complaining aside I can still see the reason for the acclaim. I was moved by the idea -- presented early on -- that we are fascinated by disasters because they give us focus in an a world of too much stimulation and (mis-)information. I take it that the onslaught of stimulation and (mis-)information is supposed to be the background of white noise against which we are still supposed to confront our deaths, the meaning of our lives, our relationships. And it has a kind of leveling effect. We can't sort out difference in importance between idle TV and significant relationships, for example. And then a kind of postmodern relativism sets in where the family tosses "facts" around with none being more believable than any other. This still feels relevant to me in the internet/wikipedia age where all "information" and "facts" are easily accessible and we can't tell/don't care what we should believe.

Anyway, that's some of what I got out of it, although I could be reading it wrong.

[Irene]

I agree, still relevant, yet somehow it does not have the impact I expect it would have had had I read it 30 years ago. Maybe this topic has been taken on in multiple forms over the past 3 decades that this just made me yawn rather than think.

[Janine]

Well done on finishing this one, NCW and Irene! I've started to run out of puff. I enjoyed it early on, but tired of it after about a third of the way in. I agree with NCW - a bit too clever and self-aware... I'm really starting to struggle with Heinrich and some of the conversations the family have. NCW, I like your point about the tossing around of 'facts', but it's not gripping reading.

But I'll keep going and aim to get to the end.

I wonder whether the status of this book as a 'classic' is in transition? It's still partially comtemporary, but it's relevance is getting quite distant. Maybe in 30, 40 or 50 years it will be read in a different light...?

[Irene]

I read a recent article that used this novel as a type of gold standard for evaluating contemporary works of social commentary. The fact that this small group of well-read individuals from diverse backgrounds has failed to connect with this novel made me wonder why the "literary world" still holds this in such high regard.

[Janine]

I didn’t think I was going to get there, but I finished the book. I’m pleased that I persisted, but I had mixed feelings about this one. I think it’s a good book, but I didn’t warm to it. I agree with NCW that it’s clever. It makes a comment about a period in time: about consumerism, society’s morbid fascination with disaster, the role of the media, self-obsession and fear of death, the changed nature of ‘family’, and technology as both a destructive force and a saviour. The use of satire is clever too.

So it makes a point and captures a view of society, but does it in such a distant and cold way that I couldn’t connect with the characters or care too much about where the plot headed.

I’ve been pondering Irene’s question about why the book is a ‘gold standard’ and how it’s made it onto the best books of the 20th century... It's a good question given that those in this group who read it (or tried to) have been underwhelmed despite the accolades.

I came across one opinion that suggested that White Noise could be classed as an ‘instant classic’ – that is, a contemporary novel that immediately dazzles readers, influences other writers, attracts the interests of academics, wins prizes and enters the literary curriculum.

The rationale provided for this opinion by literary critic, Elaine Showalter, is that while DeLillo has written novels that are more highly regarded by academics and critics than White Noise, it is largely agreed that this book was his ‘breakout book’. She goes on to say that ‘it was the book that first reached a really wide audience and remains the book that is the most popular with general readers. At the same time, it breaks new ground aesthetically and thematically, and influenced many younger writers’.

This leaves me wondering whether the book became an instant classic at the time resulting in its status as a classic being cemented and hasn’t since been challenged by academics and critics?

[Irene]

It makes me wonder if it will stand the test of time. When I think of classic, I think of a book that continues to be widely appreciated 3 or more generations after publication. I wonder if our grandchildren will value this book.

[Nicqui]

I'm finishing this book today. I feel like such a bum for not being able to finish it yet but I realize the reason for the delay is that the characters were just not very interesting to me. I couldn't develop an emotional connection with any of the characters enough to care about their stories.

I know that as a satire, it's supposed to make some commentary about the society and to a certain extent I see it, but for the most part I think it went too clever and self-aware, as NCW mentioned, to really hit the mark for me.

The only characters I really found interesting were Denise, Bee and Murray and none of them got enough page time to really grow that fascination. I would have loved to know more about their background.

[Janine]

I'm impressed that you've persisted, Nicqui. I had the same experience with the characters - I just couldn't connect with them. And while I initially found the satire clever and amusing, it wore off and I struggled through to the end.

[Nicqui]

I'm determined to finish this. I'm down to the last chapter that feels like possibly the loooooongest chapter I've ever read in my life. I'm not sure I could read another DeLillo. This experience has been more than enough for several lifetimes.