Jack Gladney White Noise Analysis

In chapter one of the novel White Noise, readers get introduced to Jack Gladney, who is the narrator. We are also told that Mr. Gladney has,” invented Hitler studies in North America in March of 1968.” (Delillo 4) Gladney teaches a class called,” Advanced Nazism." He teaches this class for," three hours a week." The college he worked for restricted his class to," qualified seniors." (Delillo 25). Despite teaching a class about Hitler, Gladney cannot speak German. So he desires a tutor on the language, this is why he reaches out to Mr. Howard Dunlop. Mr. Dunlop was a chiropractor, and now he teaches languages, ocean sailing, and meteorology. Gladney gets interested in why Dunlop stopped his other job and started teaching. Although Gladney was curious,” something about," Dunlop 's," mannerisms kept,” Gladney from exploring the topic. (Delillo 32) Although Gladney goes to these German lessons, he never learns the language.

Death is imminent, and many people have developed a fear of this idea.

The digital reading on the clock-radio was 3:51. Always odd numbers at times like this. What does it mean? Is death odd-numbered?” (Delillo 47) In my opinion, Jack Gladney’s fear of dying brings out the most human part of him, and allows the readers to connect more to Gladney. Most people in the world are afraid of something, this can be heights, insects, thunderstorms, the list goes on and on.There is also a folk lore behind the,” 3:51,” (Delillo 47) it 's believed that death always came in threes, and three is an odd number. Gladney 's scared because he cannot run from the reality that everyone dies. No matter how hard Gladney tries he still knows that in the long run he will succumb to death. This is why he jumps at the idea to try the Dylar, other than the fact that he wants to get revenge on Mink for using Gladney’s wife. This is my favorite quote because it connects the reader to the narrator and main