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Infinite Jest
Infinite Jest Re/Read - 2015
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Questions, Resources, and General Banter - Infinite Jest
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Like Jim says, don't skip the endnotes! Character development and entire subplots are included in them.
Mod
Subsidized Time
In the book's future, advertising's relentless search for new markets has led to a world where, by O.N.A.N. dictate, years are referred to by the name of their corporate sponsor.
CHRONOLOGY OF ORGANIZATION OF NORTH AMERICAN NATIONS’ REVENUE ENHANCING SUBSIDIZED TIME™, BY YEAR
Year of the Whopper
Year of the Tucks Medicated Pad
Year of the Trial-Size Dove Bar
Year of the Perdue Wonderchicken
Year of the Whisper-Quiet Maytag Dishmaster
Year of the Yushityu 2007 Mimetic-Resolution-Cartridge-View-Motherboard-Easy-To-Install-Upgrade For Infernatron/InterLace TP Systems For Home, Office Or Mobile (sic)
Year of Dairy Products from the American Heartland
Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment
Year of Glad
Most of the action in the novel takes place in the Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment, or Y.D.A.U., which is probably AD 2009, taking the Year of the Yushityu... (the lengthily titled 6th Subsidized Year) as 2007. Critic Stephen Burn, in his book on Infinite Jest, argues convincingly that Y.D.A.U. corresponds to 2009: the MIT Language Riots took place in 1997 (n. 24) and those riots occurred 12 years prior to Y.D.A.U. (n. 60).
Other evidence that Y.D.A.U. is 2009 includes the mention that November 20, Y.D.A.U. is a Friday (p. 198). Years on which November 20th is a Friday include 1992, 1998, 2009, 2015, 2020, etc. The most fitting of these is 2009.
It is also possible that Y.D.A.U. is 2008, as Matty Pemulis turns 23 in Y.D.A.U. (p. 682). Matty's (and Mike's) father came over in 1989 when Matty was "three or four" (p. 683). If Matty had been three and four in 1989, he was born in 1985, which mean he turns 23 in 2008.
It's possible that Wallace deliberately kept the time of IJ somewhat fluid or simply couldn't be completely consistent throughout the book's 1000+ pages; Wallace altered some details between the original and paperback editions of the book. For instance, in the first edition, during Hal's conversation with his disguised father, he claims that he'll be "thirteen in June." However, in the paperback edition, this is altered to "eleven in June."
Mod
Wow! What a great guide for the book!
A proposed map of the ETA:
I hope discussion picks up soon. I'm currently addicted to this book!!
I read this book a couple years ago and have been lurking on this site for a while. I haven't added anything to the discussion because I haven't made room to reread yet. This is one of my all time favorite books, and next time I read it will be in chronological order. That'd be interesting.
Great read and tons of detail on the game Eschaton.Tonight Its the puppets..
Mod
Tonight Its the puppets.."
An interpretation of the Eschaton game in this video by The Decemberists.
This version works in the US:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJpfK...
This version works in Europe, and hopefully elsewhere:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni7T1...
Although the book shows Eschaton in the snow (nuclear winter?), this video gives a feel for the game...
Jim wrote: "Doubledf99.99 wrote: "Great read and tons of detail on the game Eschaton.Tonight Its the puppets.."
An interpretation of the Eschaton game in this video by The Decemberists.
This version works ..."
Boy, that was pretty good and accurate, thanks for the link, amazing how fast things can escalate and get out of hand..
Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere, but it's a fun interactive map with all the IJ locations (fictional and real) marked:http://infiniteatlas.com/
Mod
Good news is there's a new group that is doing an IJ read beginning on June 1st:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Check it out!
That's very unfortunate, Jim. I finished it some weeks ago and absolutely loved it! Thanks for the group information.
Infinite Jest is a 1996 novel by David Foster Wallace. The lengthy and complex work takes place in a North American dystopia, centering on a junior tennis academy and a nearby substance-abuse recovery center. The novel touches on many topics, including addiction and recovery, family relationships, entertainment and advertising, film theory, United States-Canada relations (as well as Quebec separatism), and tennis. The novel famously includes 388 endnotes that cap almost a thousand pages of prose, which, together with its detailed fictional world, have led to its categorization as an encyclopedic novel.
Regarding the endnotes, you may come across suggestions from lazy readers saying that you can skip the endnotes. THIS IS NOT TRUE!! The endnotes contain huge amounts of useful and essential information. They are very much a part of the novel and the IJ reading experience, even though Wallace placed them at the end.
Wallace was a very popular writer before his suicide in 2008 at the age of 46. His tragic death has become enmeshed in much critical discussion of his work. There are many loyal followers of Wallace who defend all aspects of his work. Others think his work is overly esteemed and aren’t afraid to say so (I’m looking at you bretteastonellis!). Whatever your feelings about the man and his work, I believe we can have a constructive, civil discussion about Infinite Jest without letting the drama of the media and critics unduly influence our discourse.
A few links to get us started. Please assume that most of these links will include spoilers, so proceed cautiously if that’s an issue for you:
Wikipedia for Wallace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Fo...
Wikipedia for IJ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite...
IJ page at The Howling Fantods site
http://www.thehowlingfantods.com/dfw/...
The Infinite Jest wiki
http://infinitejest.wallacewiki.com/d...
Feel free to post questions and links to resources about DFW and Infinite Jest. Also, if you’ve written a review of the book, please post a link to share with the group.