HLHnoise

E N G L I S H 2100H
honors literature & humanities

discussion questions
on White Noise

on parts I and II of White Noise (pages 1-163)

-- from Steve

(1) DeLillo's protagonist, Jack Gladney, seems to be an out and out narcissist obsessed with
modern marketing and death. The marketing and consumerism he wallows in does not seem to
distract him from his fear of death, the technology he seems ignorant of both frightens him and
gives veiled hope, and he seems to use children as a palliative against his own mortality. Is this
character so hollow and uncomfortable because of who he is or the culture he lives in?

(2) Being "out of control" (death, nyodene-d ) and bombarded with "white noise" are both themes that
wreak of anxiety. Specializing in a field in which he does not understand or speak the language
indicates a masquerade (robe and dark glasses). He buries his head in his wife's bosom,
addresses her in third person ("this is the point of Babette") indicating a fundamental
separatism, and utters her name in a cry that is similar to a baby pleading for his mother. Can
Jack, or anybody for that matter, ever feel a sense of control over the invasive influence of
media and technology and if so, how? (Religion is not an acceptable answer.)

(3) Jack's wife Babette also harbors an extreme fear of death. They both seem to waste most of
their living moments agonizing over it. Isn't this a perverse waste of time and isn't that
quite independent from the times these characters live in? Is there any lesson to be learned by
Wilder's carefree romp across the highway and his survival?

(4) Is Heinrich the smartest one, or simply too young to know better, or perhaps too much a product
of the times and so a dupe to technology?

_______________

from Ale

(1) How has this novel captured the American culture? According to Delillo, what are the unique characteristics of the American society?
(2) How does the fear of death play an important role on Jack Gladney?
___________________

from Tim

(1) What is it about death that dominates the thoughts and actions of Jack and Babette?

(2) Is the relationship between Jack and Babette any more meaningful than the relationships that
Jack has had with his other wives?

(3) How does Murray, as foil, change the perception we have of Jack?

___________________

from James

(1) on page 17 Jack says that he is the "false character following the name around." What does
that mean exactly? The name is false but the character seems to reverse this with his
character.

(2) on page 11 Jack is talking with Murray about how he had created the Hitler department. Murray
is so enthusiastic about how well Jack's department turned out that he wants to start one on
Elvis. How are these people connected? and how surreal can this conversation get?
_________________

from Amanda

(1) How does the toxic cloud foreshadow events to come later in the book? Is it important that the name of the cloud changes from a plume of smoke to "airborne toxic event"?

(2) What attitude does DeLillo show toward the media? How does the media affect the lives of the family members? Do you think the media affects the family more than they believe it does?
It seems the family is distracted by the television because there are snippets of television conversations inserted into the text, which makes it appear they are unknowingly noticing it, but not really paying attention to it. They are used to the rambling of the television.

(3) Why is the first section entitled "Waves and Particles"?
Perhaps what people see in the media really isn't truly real, but only a representation of what appears real through the transmission of mere waves and particles. For example, Wilder was fooled, thinking Babette was really home when he saw her on television - he couldn't understand the difference between reality and what was on the tv.

(4) Give examples of appearances and realities that conflict with each other.

(5) Could DeLillo be illustrating and predicting how humankind is now paying the true price of technology?

(6) Is there any symbolism in Jack studying Hitler or Murray studying Elvis? Do their individual areas of study reflect anything on their personality, character, or help give the reader an idea how they would react in situations?
______________________

from Emily

(1) Is Jack Gladney obsessed with death or just fearful of death, and how does this influence his
Hitler studies? Does his fear/obsession with death motivate his Hitler studies? Is he aware of his
fear/obsession?

(2) Denise seems to need to control everything or everyone. She seems to take on the role of
mother hen even to Babette. Is Babette and inadequate mother? Does Denise feel responsible
to mother others? Or, is she just pushy and bossy?
_________________________

from Bretlan

1. Why is the voice in each character so similar? It seems that the dialogue between two characters is
almost interchangeable with any other characters. Every character seems to have outlandish theories
about seemingly trite events.

My answer... I think that the reason the characters sound so similar is because they all serve a common purpose.
Which is to vocalize the author's gripes, complaints, theories, secret desires, plots, obsessions, etc.
through the vehicle of this book. The reason that their voice is so much alike is that they all, in a
sense, have the same voice...Delillo's.

2. What is the connection with Elvis and Hitler? Are each character embedded with some sort of oblique
symbolism or is the author simply "throwing a curve" to the idea that we were so much more civilized under
the American system than the Germans were under Nazism? Is this parallel the author's way of being funny?

My answer...
God only knows.
______________________

from Juan

(1) What kind of place is the College-on-the-Hill? How does it compare to any other American college? What feelings do we get from students, and professors at this institution?

Suggested Answer:
It is a place that the name implies the standard American school. We do not
know about the size of the school, but if they have a Hitler Studies dept.,
it may not be that small.The introductory description of the college sounds
like a place where students do not make any contact with their professors,
and the professors themselves try to keep their distance from the students.
It seems like a place where everybody is just concerned about himself or
herself. Because the story is narrated in a first-person perspective, it is
hard to understand what is going on with other peoplešs minds. We do not
know if Jack really wants to be there, and he enjoys being able to see his
watch with his robe on.

(2) What type of friendship do Jack and Murray develop at the beginning of the novel?

Suggested Answer:
Jack talks about Murray as a guy cool to hang out with, but he does not
really understand his way of thinking. I feel that he looks at Murray with
certain type of superiority regarding their fields of study, but the
friendship is proven by the German-language secret.

________________

from Megan

1. Does Jack's obsessive fear of death relate to his inability to accept things that cannot be seen? For example, he does not believe it is raining until he sees it for himself, or he does not believe the cloud of Nyodene D is coming until he sees it.

2. Does Murray foil Jack because Murray seems to accept death and things that cannot be seen, such as "waves and radiation"? What is the significance of the line on page 37 in which Murray states, "Everything is concealed in symbolism hidden by veils of mystery and layers of cultural material"? Does this relate to the theme that things are not always what they appear to be?
________________

from Beth

I find this book demanding more and more insightfulness towards inner
themes hidden within the easily overlooked passages of the narrator's and
other character's dialouge. Am I alone in my trench digging, or has
anyone else noticed thess page to page queiries, using the little,
unsubstantial things in life, DeLillo is offering to us as readers about
our signifigance (or insignifiganse) as people within the harsh reality of
our world? Here are a few particular quote from the text that have raised
my eyebrow:

"The bins were arranged diaganolly and backed by mirrors that people
accidentally punched when reaching for fruit in the upper rows." (36)

"Apples and lemons tumbled in twos and threes to the floor when somenone
took a fruit from certain places in the stacked array." (36)

"A woman fell........pocket was crammed with felt tiped pens." (19)

This quotes definitly show, among other things, DeLillos cynical concept
on humanity in the modern world. Also I see various not-so-surfaced ideas
osuch as mankinds despret attempt to reach his dreams only to eventually
"punch" the harsh reallity that we are never completely satisfied as
humans and always reach higher. I know my thoughts and ideas derived from
these and other passages, I am wondering how the rest of the class read
into these. Also, did anyone find other passages that allude to deeper
meaning?
__________________

from Sara

1.) Jack's obsession with death is quite disturbing, yet in a way seems very familiar. Perhaps this same obsession lies in
each of us, but not quite to the extent as Jack's. so, are we all questioning death?
2.) Babette is taking a drug, Dylar. Why is she taking this drug?
__________________

from Sarah Beth

1. What do Jack's former wives (Dana Bredlove, Tweety Browner, and Janet Savory)
tell us about Jack and his relationship with Babette?
2. Jack and Babette ponder and argue often about who will die first. How does the Airborne Toxic Event change the way Jack views death?
___________________
___________________

from Sophia

(1) Why is everyone in the novel so obssessed with death and disaster?

(2) What is the significance of the college being named "the College on the hill?"

___________________

from Katlin

(1) What might be the reason why Jack Gladney constantly refers to death?

(2) Why is Gladney so deeply interested in Hitler?

___________________

English 2100H is taught by Dr. Richard Nordquist.
Armstrong Atlantic State University
University Hall 297D
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, Georgia 31419
912-921-5991
e-mail: nordqudi@mail.armstrong.edu

14 November 2002

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