The Philosophy of Don DeLillo’s Fiction: Novels without Characters

Abstract

The present paper is an enquiry into the issue of characterization in some of Don DeLillo’s most prominent fictions: "The Names" (1982), "White Noise" (1985), "Libra" (1988) and "Underworld" (1997). It deals with previous critical approaches inspired by the same issue, as well as with the general critical framework in which DeLillo’s fiction has been thus far understood. In contemplating formal processes such as charactermaking and narrative voice, the paper largely relies on a close reading of the aforementioned works. However, it also aims at defining the philosophical context where these processes take place and the critical tools, beyond current paradigms of postmodern criticism, that might be useful in future approaches to contemporary English and American fiction. The line of questioning, developed at the level of the texts and at the level of synthetic, philosophical argument, reaches conclusions as to the issue of characterization that fulfil suggestions in previous criticism and puts forward new lines of research in DeLillo criticism, postmodern criticism, critical theory and media theory.