Comparing The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien And Don Delillo
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In literature, postmodernism is a term used to describe the writing style that authors, poets, and artists have been using since the 1940s. Although the word postmodernism is used quite frequently, the actual definition is hard to define. The postmodern era follows the modern era chronologically, however it completely reshapes the way that authors perceive and think about literature. According to PBS, postmodernism “stems from a recognition that reality is not mirrored in human understanding… relies on concrete experience over abstract principles, knowing always that the outcome of one's own experience will necessarily be fallible and relative, rather than certain and universal” (pbs.org). Two brilliant writers, Tim O’Brien and Don DeLillo,…show more content… His rather serious novel was not a story specifically about the events that took place during the War, but rather a comparison of the Vietnam War and everyday life. O’Brien’s purpose of writing this novel was so that every person, no matter what stage of life he or she may be going through, can relate to the short stories in some way. The stories’ characters are soldiers during the Vietnam War, struggling with feelings that everyone feels, like loneliness, love, betrayal, and fear. Wesley states, “The verisimilitude of O’Brien’s memoir is a result of his evident eagerness to communicate with his reader through straightforward description of sensations and emotions, thematic self-revelation…”…show more content… This symbolizes “story truth.” However, while they are not real life people, they do symbolize truths about the war, which in essence, makes it true to the author. This is symbolized by the “happening truth.” Don DeLillo wrote a marvelous book entitled “White Noise.” This novel is about a university professor, Jack Gladney, his wife, Babette, and their children. While this family has many obstacles and challenges, the family is focused on two central aspects: technology and the fear of death. One way that DeLillo shows postmodernism in his novel is by the family’s consumption with the dominant role that technology and media have in the society that he portrays in the setting.
In a particular part of the story, Jack is mesmerized by the automated teller machine. He says that “The system had blessed my life. I felt its support and approval. The system hardware, the mainframe sitting in a locked room in some distant city… The networks, the circuits, the streams, the harmonies…” (Delillo, 46). The major significance of the automated teller machine is that Jack illustrates humanistic qualities to it, symbolizing how important it is to him. While the use of technology in this novel is mainly helpful, it also causes negative benefits as