A person’s motives for various activities are often misunderstood from their obvious intentions. The novel, White Noise, is written depicting the scenario of America in the future, revealing paths that Americans might take. Throughout the story, Delillo in a somewhat subtle matter criticizes American society’s flaws. Taking place in a small mid-western college town, the Gladney family encounters difficulties with raising children, drug addictions, and personal fears. The satirical postmodern novel, White Noise, by Don Dellilo, uses the Gladney family’s daily interactions to criticize American culture, behavior, and thought.
Delillo criticizes American culture by placing children in the role of becoming parental figures. Dellilo makes fun of the American culture stating that children made, ''homemade signs concerning lost dogs and cats are posted on telephone poles all over town”. Rather than having parents be responsible for lost pets, the children themselves have taken control of this role. This action not only shows valid concerns but an inappropriate sense of responsibility. Another example Dellilo uses to illustrate the strong responsibility of children is with Denise. She is a very observant and practical girl who is noted to have, “led a more or less daily protest against those of her mother's habits that struck her as wasteful or dangerous. (Delillo 29) Typically in an American family, the daughter acquires habits and characteristics from her mother however, Denise is especially unique in this manner. She is disappointed that her mother is developing a …show more content…
Throughout the novel, these criticizations are developed and portrayed through characters, which have an impact on the story. As the novel continues on, the characters are shown to either fear death, relay bad behavior, and mirror culture of the American
Delillo criticizes American culture by placing children in the role of becoming parental figures. Dellilo makes fun of the American culture stating that children made, ''homemade signs concerning lost dogs and cats are posted on telephone poles all over town”. Rather than having parents be responsible for lost pets, the children themselves have taken control of this role. This action not only shows valid concerns but an inappropriate sense of responsibility. Another example Dellilo uses to illustrate the strong responsibility of children is with Denise. She is a very observant and practical girl who is noted to have, “led a more or less daily protest against those of her mother's habits that struck her as wasteful or dangerous. (Delillo 29) Typically in an American family, the daughter acquires habits and characteristics from her mother however, Denise is especially unique in this manner. She is disappointed that her mother is developing a …show more content…
Throughout the novel, these criticizations are developed and portrayed through characters, which have an impact on the story. As the novel continues on, the characters are shown to either fear death, relay bad behavior, and mirror culture of the American