Forget about alcohol: White Noise is all about the drugs. More specifically, it's all about a tiny pill called Dylar that totally takes away your fear of death. The only problem is that the pill also destroys your memory and turns you into a drooling zombie.
Throughout this book, the drug Dylar isn't just a drug; it's an exaggerated version of what modern Americans are doing every second of every day: distracting ourselves from thoughts of death. Whether with a pill, a TV, a computer, or simply a delicious milkshake, they numb us to the pain of knowing that we're going to die.
Questions About Drugs & Alcohol
- If you were offered a pill that took away your fear of death and didn't totally ruin your brain, would you take it? Why or why not?
- Do you think it would ever be possible to create a pill that made people stop fearing death? Why or why not?
- In your opinion, is it a good thing or a bad thing to distract ourselves from fearing death? Are some distractions or pastimes healthier than others?
Chew on This
In White Noise, DeLillo suggests that it's a shame Dylar ruins people's brains, because having a drug that takes away our fear of death would be awesome.
In White Noise, everything people do to fill their daily lives works on the same logic as a drug. Watching TV, jogging, and texting friends are all just about providing pleasure and eliminating deep, troubling thought.