A Critical Study of the Theme of Death in Don Delillo’s White Noise from an Intertextual Perspective

Year 2005, Issue: 21, 65 - 76, 01.04.2005

Nedal Al Mousa

Abstract

Becker’s views on death are fully realized in Delillo’s novel White Noise. The fear of death figures as the mainspring of activity in the lives of Gladney and his wife Babette activity inspired by their noticeable attempts to deny or avoid or defeat death. Gladney’s and Babette’s peculiar preoccupation with death is foregrounded in the first pages of the novel. Watching the wagons of the parents of college students who are returning to college after summer vacation, Babette says: “I have trouble imagining death at that income level”. In response to this Gladney says: “Maybe there is no death as we know it. Just documents changing hands” 5 . This short exchange sets the tone for the whole piece in which Gladney and Babette engage in deploying a series of strategies to avoid or deny, or defeat death.

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