Critique Of White Noise

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My Critique of White Noise The novel White Noise is an extremely negative portrayal of postmodern society! The novel’s whole basis is on death. The name “White Noise” comes from the idea of death within the novel: “what if death is nothing but sound? Electrical noise. You hear it forever. Sound all around. How awful. Uniform, white” (198), therefore expressing death as a white noise. The novel portrays the postmodern world as a series of simulations: nothing is real. An example of this would be the “most photographed barn in America” (12). People do not appreciate being right in front of it, they prefer taking photos of it, to have a simulated version. This aspect of society is about the only thing I agree with in this novel. White Noise is based on a depressing world view. Jack asks: “why do these possessions carry such sorrowful weight? There is a darkness attached to them, a foreboding” (6), why would this view be interpreted over possessions like boxes? That is a very disappointing outlook on life! This dreadful view throughout the novel is also expressed when Murray explains that “once you are out of school, it is only a matter of time before you experience the vast loneliness and dissatisfaction of consumers…” (50). White Noise is conveying that life is “dissatisfying” and once you become an adult, the feeling of happiness or satisfaction is “lost” (51). This book is exceptionally discouraging, with the degrading view of modern life as if there is nothing but fear, dissatisfaction, and death, at least as an adult. It is a very sad representation of
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