Literature Review: White Noise by Don DeLillo - A Focus on the Barn and Over-Photographed Locations
DeLillo, D. (1985). White Noise. Viking.
Don DeLillo's seminal novel, "White Noise" (1985), offers a profound exploration of postmodern anxieties in a media-saturated society. Among its many themes, the novel delves into the impact of ubiquitous photography on our perception of reality. This literature review will synthesize key scholarly interpretations of the novel's third chapter, focusing specifically on the depiction of the 'most photographed barn in America' and the implications of over-photographed locations.
One of the most discussed aspects of the third chapter is the scene depicting the 'most photographed barn in America'. It serves as a potent symbol of Baudrillard’s concept of simulacra (1994). The barn, devoid of any inherent historical or aesthetic value, derives its fame solely from its status as a photographed object. Its significance does not emanate from its original purpose as a barn, but rather from its repeated reproduction in photographs. As such, it becomes a simulation of a barn, a copy without an original, illustrating Baudrillard's assertion that simulations can become more 'real' than the realities they represent.
In his analysis of "White Noise", Grieve (1993) argues that over-photographed locations, like the barn, lose their original meaning and context through repetitive imaging. The barn, once a functional structure with a specific purpose, has been transformed into a spectacle for tourists to capture and share. Its identity is no longer tied to its function or location, but to the countless images that circulate in the public domain. Grieve suggests that the barn represents the commodification of experience in a consumerist culture, where even personal encounters are mediated by images.
Expanding on this idea, LeClair (1987) posits that DeLillo uses the barn as a critique of the loss of authenticity in a postmodern society obsessed with reproductions. Photographs, in their ability to reproduce and disseminate images, contribute to the erosion of the original's aura, as Walter Benjamin argued in his influential essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" (1935). The barn, despite being physically present, is perceived through the lens of countless photographs, its reality mediated by its own representations.
Moreover, the barn scene also speaks to the theme of death and the fear of mortality that pervades "White Noise". Jack and Murray's pilgrimage to the barn can be seen as an attempt to confront the mortality that the barn symbolises. In the words of Kavadlo (2004), "The barn, like a celebrity, has become famous for being famous. It has outlived its usefulness and now exists only to be photographed, a fate that Jack fears awaits him as well."
In conclusion, the third chapter of "White Noise" provides a compelling study of over-photographed locations and the blurring boundaries between reality and representation. Through the motif of the barn, DeLillo critically examines the impact of media saturation and the quest for authenticity in a hyperreal world. The barn, in its transformation from a functional structure to a tourist spectacle, encapsulates the postmodern condition, illustrating how reality is increasingly mediated by images and simulations.
References
Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simulacra and Simulation. University of Michigan Press.
Benjamin, W. (1935). The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Schocken/Random House.
DeLillo, D. (1985). White Noise. Viking.
Grieve, V. (1993). The Most Photographed Barn in America. Postmodern Culture, 4(1).
Kavadlo, J. (2004). "We're not here to remember": Invisibility and Absence in Don DeLillo's White Noise. The Journal of Popular Culture, 38(2), 328-343.
LeClair, T. (1987). In the Loop: Don DeLillo and the Systems Novel. University of Illinois Press.
