A Study On The Spatial Writing Of Don De Lillo’s Cosmopolis

Don De Lillo is generally regarded as one of the most talented and widely praised writers in contemporary America.Cosmopolis is De Lillo’s thirteenth novel published in2003,which is labeled as the post-modern version of Ulysses and it depicts Eric’s one-day experiences.It has been hailed as one of the best American works of the past few decades.Space is one of the most important constituent elements of De Lillo’s literary creation.In Cosmopolis,through various spatial images,such as towering apartment buildings,white long limousine and crowded streets,De Lillo reproduces the life of postmodern metropolis and displays the postmodern street view of New York in front of readers with strong visual impact.Space is not only a grid or container within which things happen,but also exists as a geographical concept,closely related to power,body and death,playing a leading role in De Lillo’s creative strategy.Thus for Cosmopolis,the spatial perspective is undoubtedly a practicable entry point to further understand the underlying meaning of the novel.This thesis analyzes Cosmopolis through a close reading of the text under the theoretical structure of spatial criticism.It includes five parts.The first part introduces the author Don De Lillo and the plot of the novel,as well as studies on De Lillo at home and abroad.According to Edward Soya’s Third Space Theory,the first chapter classifies the forms of the spaces in the novel into three categories: the physical urban space represented by skyscrapers and white limousines;the alienated mental space characterized by the psychological state of loneliness,anxiety and indifference;the multivariate open space represented by the theatre,Benno’s abandoned apartment and Eric’s watch screen.De Lillo describes in detail the spatial experiences of characters and the interactions between spaces on each dimension.The second chapter analyzes three approaches that the novel applies to its unique spatial writing in the postmodern context including the spatialization of time,intertextuality and the shift of narrative focal point.The use of these three approaches allows the author to construct a multi-dimensional space and to complete unique spatial writing,which imparts a distinctly post-modern quality to the text both in terms of content and form.The third chapter examines the functions of spatial writing in the novel both from the narrative and aesthetic perspectives.On the one hand,spatial elements construct a narrative structure,influence the narrative rhythm and determine the thematic development of the spatial narrative.On the other hand,spatial juxtaposition creates the aesthetic effect of indeterminacy,which is reflected in the uncertainty of theme,plot and language.The final part concludes the entire thesis and highlights the positive significance of the spatial writing in Cosmopolis.