The White Noise Of Consumer Society: Exploring White Noise From The Perspective Of Baudrillard's Consumer Society Theory

As one of the most influential novelists of contemporary American literature, Don DeLillo's works have been highly appraised and applauded by many critics. Since the publication of his first novel Americana in 1971, DeLillo has completed a total of 14 novels, 4 dramas, and a number of essays and short stories. On 2 February 2010, his fifteenth novel, Point Omega, was published in hardcover by Scribner's.1Now a man over seventy years old, Don DeLillo is still a prolific writer. By focusing and satirizing on contemporary American society and life, he shows great concern for the postmodern dilemma of human existence.White Noise, which is his eighth novel, was published in 1984. This novel was both a dramatic commercial and literary success, which won him National Book Award in 1985 and brought him to the attention of a much larger audience and literary critics.This thesis tends to make an analysis of the main plots of White Noise from the perspective of French philosopher Jean Baudrillard's consumer society theory. In a word, consumerism, permeating saturation of mass media and backfire of technological advancement depicted in White Noise comply with those postmodern conditions embraced in Jean Baudrillard's consumer society theory.Introduction part will focus on Don DeLillo as a writer, the plots of White Noise, and literary criticism on White Noise.Chapter One expatiates the causes of consumer society seen in White Noise with a briefing of Jean Baudrillard's consumer society theory. This part will include features of consumer society in the novel, i.e. material abundance, permeation of mass media, and the adverse impact of scientific advancement, paving the way for the second chapter, which will be dedicated to the analysis of phenomenon of consumer society in White Noise. Chapter Two will anatomize scenes characteristic of consumer society in White Noise from three different yet interdependent aspects: individual, family, and society.Chapter Three, based on above-mentioned analysis and Jean Baudrillard's consumer society theory, postmodern conditions of the 1980's America in White Noise will be unveiled.In the conclusion part of this thesis, we will reflect on the impact of consumer society depicted in White Noise. As economic development is gaining momentum, consumption is also playing an increasing role in our daily life. By adopting Jean Baudrillard's consumer society theory, this thesis points out those postmodern conditions of 1980's America which are in conformance with Jean Baudrillard's view, and confirms that Don DeLillo as a keen diagnostician of postmodern conditions of America in White Noise.White Noise, a vivid and satirical depiction of the consumer society, warns us against the dark side of the consumer society, and urges us to keep alert on its adverse impact.