Fear of Death and Power of Innocence: A Study of Don DeLillo’s White Noise

• 作者: WANG Nian-nian
• 来源期刊: 中美英语教学:英文版
• 学科: 文学
• 关键词: White Noise death fear INNOCENCE
• 年，卷（期）: 2021,（1）
• 页码范围: 17-21
• 页数: 5页
• 分类号: H31

摘要

Honored by Mark Osteen as the “The American Book of the Dead”, Don Delillo’s White Noise unveils the fear ofdeath resides in the mind of contemporary Americans and their struggles against the fear. Among these efforts is toseek comfort in Protagonist Jack’s youngest son, Wilder, who is the emblem of a primitive and innocent power thatis uncontaminated by science and technology in the chaotic world. Furthermore, this article further analyses andreveals the consoling power of Wilder’s innocence. Nonetheless, through the degradation from a solemn and scaredcrying to a pathetic and mundane crying, it also shows the brevity and vulnerability of the power, which proves that,instead of a permanent cure, this innocence can only serve as a sedative to ease the postmodern fear of death.