Notes on Group Summaries of White Noise Reviews Yurick Mobilio Johnson Iyer * White noise: consistent buzzing leading to an inability to distinguish things * Plot(less) novel: incidents connected by white noise * Language: similarity of dialogue style, but not tedious * Structures his review like DeLillo structures novel * Language conceals horror * Fear of death as key theme, with other issues feeding into theme * Assuaging fear of death (with Dylar, Hitler) * Television as reflecting pool for Americans * Narcissism * Relationship between individual and institution/crowd, with crowd supporting individual identity * Family as buffer and solace * White noise: screen * DeLillo’s power of prediction * “Plots” within plots * DeLillo as man of times * “Novel of ideas” * Concern with death, language, ritual, breakup * White noise as soundtrack of dying * Humor (funny strange) * Language: “chorus of texts without contexts,” leaves words hanging * Single-sentence end to paragraphs * Humanity v. science Page last updated 4/16/03 Email Questions and Comments