A Study Of Alienation In Don DeLillo's Cosmopolis

Published in the year 2003,Cosmopolis is often compared to a postmodern Ulysses,unfolding a young billionaire's well-intended and eventful day-trip from Manhattan downtown to a suburb area.As Don DeLillo's thirteenth novel,it is no lesser than the other great books that have been crowned with titles like the National Book Award,PEN/Faulkner award,etc.Up to now,researchers show zealous passion for studying this novel.They've tried to appreciate it by focusing on the DeLillian language style,sublime capitalism,the influence of technology and consumerism,etc.However,an exclusive study on the alienation issue in Cosmopolis has not been attempted.In fact,Cosmopolis sketches a poignant epic of alienation.All together,the thesis is developed as follows:In Chapter One,the thesis begins with the elaboration of alienation in a religious sense.Feuerbach suggested that people worship the God regardless of their knowledge of its power.In the consumerist world,humans are now attracted more to various forms of Godly spectacles rather than God itself.Cult for architecture and commodities are actually minor ones.With the alienating force of technology enhanced,people lose contact with reality and real people by falling into the spectacular labyrinth of simulacra and hyper-reality.To the extreme,sign fetishism of the soulful data and information manifest itself as the major expression of alienation.In Chapter Two,the author points out that the special group of terrorists,anarchists and protesters actually reflect people's alienation and victimization.Also,as the whole system of rationalization and reification exercises its vicious power,employees are enslaved as machines,labors harshly exploited,and females treated like commodities.In Chapter Three,the thesis probes deeper into alienation issue in a more psychological and existential sense.Firstly,the author finds that inadequate recognition is the cause for alienation.Secondly,Freud's so called “oceanic feelings” have long been bypassed.Individuals as well as the whole society have been suffering from pain and torments,which is a manifestation of repression and alienation.Finally,the thesis turns to psychological analysis of schizoid patients.Characters in the novel are preoccupied with the idea of asymmetry,petrification and engulfment.They are schizophrenic in terms of their symptoms revealed as hallucinations,mind speeches,etc.And in Conclusion,the author finds out that the discussion of alienation in Cosmopolis is of practicable value.And by discussing this issue in a progressive manner,it strengthens the author's understanding of human predicament in modern world.Though it may not be perfect,hopefully this thesis can inspire others to carry out further studies on DeLillian works.