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Post by group10 on Jun 10, 2008 6:29:44 GMT -5
Here are the general ideas I thought we could include. The actual style of it needs work. One of the most resonating observations that Delillo makes is the way in which we measure the magnitude of a disaster. Some of the comments that Jack Gladney makes about the Toxic Airborne Event are shockingly similar to those about Hurricane Katrina. The difference being is that in Katrina’s case it was the government not the media’s fault for neglecting to spread public awareness. At first Jack believes that he is invincible. He declares that “these things happen to poor people who live in exposed areas”(114). Before the levees broke in New Orleans the upper classes were able to escape before the floods hit. The upper classes also lived in sturdier homes in more elevated areas. FEMA and the Bush administration did not take immediate action. They were completely out of touch with the needs of the people in the super dome. The media actually came through in the case of Katrina. Their shocking footage made one of America’s largest cities look like a third world country. It is this enthusiasm that the media is missing in Iron city.
Heinrich’s relationship with the murderer reveals some uncomfortable truth about the desire for fame. When an assignation or mass murder occurs in our world the media is quick to cover it. There is a sick relationship between the media and the murderer. The Murderer uses the media for hopes of fame. Henrich’s friend’s only regret was that he didn’t kill a famous person “to get famous, make it stick”(45). The media then exploits the murder because they know they can make a profit from it . Murders are the kind of stories that cause ratings to go up. During Virginia Tech massacre the video that shooter Cho Seung-Hui made of himself was shown every ten minutes. That kind of visual could give an outcast who wishes to publicly get his or her revenge an inspiration to perform a similar horror. ~At
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Post by Group 10 on Jun 10, 2008 20:54:22 GMT -5
One of the most resonating observations that Delillo makes is the way in which we measure the magnitude of a disaster. Some of the comments that Jack Gladney makes about the Toxic Airborne Event are shockingly similar to those about Hurricane Katrina. The difference being is that in Katrina’s case it was the government not the media’s fault for neglecting to spread public awareness. At first Jack believes that he is invincible. He declares that “these things happen to poor people who live in exposed areas”(114). Before the levees broke in New Orleans the upper classes were able to escape before the floods hit. The upper classes also lived in sturdier homes in more elevated areas. FEMA and the Bush administration did not take immediate action. They were completely out of touch with the needs of the people in the super dome. The media actually came through in the case of Katrina. Their shocking footage made one of America’s largest cities look like a third world country. It is this enthusiasm that the media is missing in Iron city.
Heinrich’s relationship with the murderer reveals some uncomfortable truth about the desire for fame. When an assignation or mass murder occurs in our world the media is quick to cover it. There is a sick relationship between the media and the murderer. The Murderer uses the media for hopes of fame. Henrich’s friend’s only regret was that he didn’t kill a famous person “to get famous, make it stick”(45). The media then exploits the murder because they know they can make a profit from it . Murders are the kind of stories that cause ratings to go up. During Virginia Tech massacre the video that shooter Cho Seung-Hui made of himself was shown every ten minutes. That kind of visual could give an outcast who wishes to publicly get his or her revenge an inspiration to perform a similar horror.
In addition to displaying the influence of the media on a national level, Delillo expresses the affect of the media on an individual scale. Heinrich portrays the postmodernistic belief of doubting the existence of truth. In chapter six, when his father, Jack, asks him if it is raining outside and the droplets of water beat down on the winshield of their car, Heinrich says, "It's going to rain tonight...The radio said tonight" (22). It is obvious that in reality it is raining, however given that the news has informed the public it will rain tonight, Heinrich denies the reality, and believes solely the data presented. Delillio continues to note the impact of the media by emphasizing the creation of catchy advertisement slogans by the media to generate hype for a product. Murray is able to see past the mesmorizing jingles and realise that "in the bright packaging, the jingles...like chants, like mantras. 'Coke is it, Coke is it, Coke is it.' The medium practically overflows with sacred formulas" (51). It is apparent in White Noise that whether an individual is blind and subject to the techniques of the media like Heinrich, or is aware of its brain-washing mechanisms like Murray, the basic influence of the media is constantly present within each individual.
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Post by group10 on Jun 10, 2008 22:10:01 GMT -5
The postmodern literary movement, ushered in after World War II, appeared at a time of much disillusionment. Society had just witnessed the horrifying affects of the war, and to many individuals, there was no clear central hierarchy or truth anymore. Due to the changing attitudes of many, postmodernism appeared in literature. Postmodernism in literature favors incoherence and lack of structure. It places value on the idea that the center “cannot hold”. Although this movement emerged almost half a century ago, it is still relevant in society today. It is extremely arguable that the media in today’s world still has some elements of postmodernism. Don DeLillo’s novel White Noise is bombarded with commentary examining the affect of the media on an individual in a post-modern society.
One of the most resonating observations that Delillo makes is the way in which we measure the magnitude of a disaster. Some of the comments that Jack Gladney makes about the Toxic Airborne Event are shockingly similar to those about Hurricane Katrina. The difference being is that in Katrina’s case it was the government not the media’s fault for neglecting to spread public awareness. At first Jack believes that he is invincible. He declares that “these things happen to poor people who live in exposed areas”(114). Before the levees broke in New Orleans the upper classes were able to escape before the floods hit. The upper classes also lived in sturdier homes in more elevated areas. FEMA and the Bush administration did not take immediate action. They were completely out of touch with the needs of the people in the super dome. The media actually came through in the case of Katrina. Their shocking footage made one of America’s largest cities look like a third world country. It is this enthusiasm that the media is missing in Iron city.
Heinrich’s relationship with the murderer reveals some uncomfortable truth about the desire for fame. When an assignation or mass murder occurs in our world the media is quick to cover it. There is a sick relationship between the media and the murderer. The Murderer uses the media for hopes of fame. Henrich’s friend’s only regret was that he didn’t kill a famous person “to get famous, make it stick”(45). The media then exploits the murder because they know they can make a profit from it . Murders are the kind of stories that cause ratings to go up. During Virginia Tech massacre the video that shooter Cho Seung-Hui made of himself was shown every ten minutes. That kind of visual could give an outcast who wishes to publicly get his or her revenge an inspiration to perform a similar horror.
In addition to displaying the influence of the media on a national level, Delillo expresses the affect of the media on an individual scale. Heinrich portrays the postmodernistic belief of doubting the existence of truth. In chapter six, when his father, Jack, asks him if it is raining outside and the droplets of water beat down on the winshield of their car, Heinrich says, "It's going to rain tonight...The radio said tonight" (22). It is obvious that in reality it is raining, however given that the news has informed the public it will rain tonight, Heinrich denies the reality, and believes solely the data presented. Delillio continues to note the impact of the media by emphasizing the creation of catchy advertisement slogans by the media to generate hype for a product. Murray is able to see past the mesmorizing jingles and realise that "in the bright packaging, the jingles...like chants, like mantras. 'Coke is it, Coke is it, Coke is it.' The medium practically overflows with sacred formulas" (51). It is apparent in White Noise that whether an individual is blind and subject to the techniques of the media like Heinrich, or is aware of its brain-washing mechanisms like Murray, the basic influence of the media is constantly present within each individual.
Through the blatant social commentary that floods his novel, Delillo’s White Noise depicts the scheming corruption of the media’s relationship to society and the individual that not only propagated the post-modern world, but also continues to circulate within 21st century society. By creating the SIMUVAC organization and suggesting Heinrich’s tendency to adopt a hypnotizing fascination and dependence on the media, the novel draws an eerie parallel to today’s society. While Delillo suggests the unhealthy relationship that exists between society and the media in the post-modern era, its presence can also be seen in print ads, news casts, and TV commercials from today’s world. In other words, our society is not exempt from the type of media influence seen in White Noise. Though we may strive to believe in our potential to evacuate the blind ignorance of post-modernity, examples from our world prove that we too are subject to the corruptive white noise of the media.
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