The Role Of Hitler In Don Delillo's White Noise

White Noise, Don DeLillo’s so called “breakout” as well as noteworthy example of postmodern literature, pitches us through waves of seduction, intellectualism, humor, disaster, and the nature of human violence. The expiration of life accelerates the novel in its intended direction, of acceptance of the finite. Our narrator Jack, places power above everything, and in return is guaranteed protection from death. He duplicates Hitler from his desire of confidentiality from expiry, which in his understanding takes his name off his tombstone. By doing that, he shields himself from exposure to death by his obsession, through his position, as head of Hitler studies at the College-on-the-Hill. The concept of Hitler as a shield from death portrays Jack as irrational in his obsession with the chancellor. Hitler exists as a representation of a type of control that Jack never had over his own life. By having become “the expert” in Hitler studies, Jack …show more content…
In Running Dog, the plot is centered on a rumored pornographic film of Hitler, and the reader follows a journalist who tries to track down the film. When asked in an interview why Hitler was the focus of the book, DeLillo responded, “This made it an object of ultimate desirability and ultimate dread, simply because it connected to Hitler” (DePietro 71) As with White Noise, Jack Gladney would probably have said the exact same thing when asked about Hitler, “simply because it connected to Hitler.” While reading the novel, there are parts where you wonder if Jack thinks about how he’s going about and perceiving things. Drawing attention to his beloved Mein Kamph, Jack keeps it close as if it were his life support, and without it he’d fall to the wrath of death. He uses it to remind him of his false sense of self-protection, without keeping in mind that it has no supernatural