Well I finished section I, and I probably should have blogged along the way, but I didn't.
Without getting too far into details, I believe it's extremely bold that Dellilo names certain brand names throughout the book; names like "Frisbee", "Coke", "La-Z"Boy", and many others pop up throughout the part I. By doing so, Dellilo adds real aspects to his fictionalized world and makes it more realistic. Also, this reflects the time in which Delillo was writing; trademarked products were only accepted by society, but in the present-day generic brands are more accepted. Note: Murray is the exception to this rule; he absolutely enjoys buying the generic brands in the supermarket.
Dellilo uses exaggeration to prove his point that divorce has become a commonplace activity in America. Wilder, Steffie, Denise, Heinrich, and Bee are all children from different marriages; having five different children with five different pairs of spouses definitely suggests marriage has lost its values or that love does not exist.
Dellilo makes appearance an overwhelming theme in this novel. Jack changes his appearance to make himself seem more important, more befitting to teach the subject of Hitler. Jack is referred to as J.A.K Gladney by his peers once he realized he needed to seem more significant. Jack's inability to speak German haunts Jack and he fears that his inability may lead to the discovery of his incompetence as a Hitler professor. Jack has built a persona and adapted to its image; he is no longer Jack Gladney, but J.A.K. Gladney.
It seems that Jack's marriage to Babette may indeed be an "open marriage", but her memory lapses ruin the credibility of Jack's perception.
posted by Quigtastic @ 7:25 AM
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