Fear as depicted in Don DeLillo’s “White Noise
Don DelLillo is successful in his convincing strategy used in the novel, White Noise. Various themes surround the entire narrative and the varied styles used to make the deliverance of the story are successful in making the reader understand that fear is the main theme in the novel. The main characters are the most affected by this factor throughout the novel and their objective in fighting the fear is not successful. There are various types of fear employed in the story as is depicted among characters, the entire storyline and specific events.
In this novel, the main type of fear is death, as is explainable considering the book’s title. The author clearly explains that the noises that surround human activities in all aspect of life are comprised of noise that is often unpleasant. However, more unpleasant would be the fear generated by the silence that follows from muting these noises. This silence in this context is indicative of death, and as characters are in fear of death, the main factor that surrounds the meaning of the title is a cause of fear to the reader alike.
Fear of death observable right from the beginning, whereby the majority of the characters have a part to play in allowing the fear of death to take toll of their lives. Jack who has spent years teaching about a ruthless and fearsome individual who causes death is led by his career to fear death even further. Contemplating about death and allowing his minds to be manipulated in believing that he must be a murderer or the individual murdered further complicates his situation. He also allows his wife to be grasped with this kind of fear and they spend all the time trying to find means of avoiding death. Fear of death is therefore an important attribute of fear in the novel.
Another type of fear observable from the story is the fear of a catastrophe. This happens when an air-ignited toxic event occurs; causing panic that leads to muddled evacuations from the town. The panic translates to extreme fear and no one is convinced to have to stay near the town any longer. The information obtained by SIMUVAC regarding the attack is not convincing enough for the organization, and it is felt that a special type of protection for the town was necessary. These events come out of fear of a catastrophe. Failure to accept the Gladneys due to the ailing condition in which Jack was coping with due to his exposure to Nyodene D, a deadly substance, is a factor that is attributable to fear. People feared of the consequences linkable with Jack’s condition and this is fundamental in explaining the people’s fear of a catastrophe.
The third conspicuous type of fear is the fear of losing the value of the barn, a source of recreation for the residents in America. It is explained that residents would visit the barn so frequently; taking numerous photographs of the latter, therefore making it named ‘The Most Photographed Barn in America’. The people in this culture are observed to give the barn so much importance that they take numerous photographs of its initial photographs, to keep the notion that they can still view it despite the fact that it has grown of age. The fear for erasure of the importance of the barn in the people’s lives is therefore a fear that affects numerous individuals.
The author aims at educating the readers that embracing a concept could make it take control the life and livelihood of an individual and even lead to serious consequences, depending on how seriously it is taken. This is explained through the death of Jack, and the survival of all the other individuals who did not allow the fear of death control their lives. This is applicable in real life situations and forms the basis of hysteria, which has always been a cause of poor health to various individuals. This is just another factor relatable to a person’s set of mind.
