Plot Summary
Exposition
Jack Gladney is the narrator of White Noise, and works at the College-on-the-Hill. Jack is the creator of the Hitler studies department at the college and has been the chairman since the department's start in 1968. Babette is Jack's current wife. She is also a teacher. Jack describes Babette as selfless and very courageous. Wilder, Heinrich, Denise, and Steffie are the children of the Gladney family, and are from different marriages. Heinrich is noted as an antisocial teenager, and Denise is particularly concerned with the family's health. Murray Jay Siskind is another teacher from the College-on-the-Hill. Murray has moved to the simple college town of Blacksmith after a complicated city life. Murray admires Jack's efforts with the Hitler department, and wants to create a similar department for Elvis Presley. |
One day, Jack contemplates his domestic life with Babette. Jack realizes that he keeps wondering which of them will die first, and that he is constantly worrying about death. Jack begins to theorize that the concept of death may be a segment of love, or that it must simply be present in everyday life. Another day, Jack discusses the topic of his own imaginings with Babette. Jack reports that the college chancellor suggested that he become a more important-looking persona to have sway in the academic field. Jack takes the suggestion, takes the name, J.A.K. Gladney, and makes several other changes to his appearance, despite some objection from Babette. Jack becomes obsessed and uneasy with the idea of changing himself, and only takes comfort in being with Babette, one of the few people in his life that is very consistent and true.
Another day, Jack and Babette have a strange encounter with Murray at a supermarket. Murray praises the idea of generic packaging, and exclaims that he prefers it over bright, attention-grabbing packaging. Murray also admits to Jack that he is interested in Babette. As Jack and Babette leave Murray, Jack notices that Murray has also created a new persona, for the purpose of attracting women.
Death continues to plague Jack, and even enters his professional life. After Jack shows a class a montage of Nazi propaganda, a student asks about the plot against Hitler's life. Jack suddenly answers, "All plots tend to move deathward. This is the nature of plots." Jack's own morbid answer bothers him for a period of time afterwards.
In another attempt to build an impressive persona, Jack signs up to learn German under Howard Dunlop, coincidentally one of Murray's neighbors. Jack needs to learn German in time for a Hitler conference being held at the College-on-the-Hill. Jack has a lesson with Howard, and brings Murray back to his own home for dinner. At the Gladney home, Jack and Murray arrive to a cacophony. Different members of the family are doing different things, and are making different noises in the process. Only Wilder, the mute toddler, sits in the home, quietly. The blending of domestic noises can be recognized as an example of the titular "white noise", unidentifiable sound that has a surrounding quality. Jack's concept of death can be compared to white noise, as he feels that death is unclear, and very integrated in life.
Denise continues to worry about Babette's health, and reports to Jack that Babette has memory lapses. Denise also tells Jack she has found a drug called Dylar that Babette has been supposedly taking in secret. Denise cannot find any information about Dylar. Jack tries to comfort Denise, but he is not entirely successful.
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Rising Action
One day, Jack observes Heinrich sitting on the roof, watching a black smoke cloud with binoculars. Heinrich tells Jack that a train car has derailed and has released a burning toxic substance called Nyodene Derivative. Jack tries to reassure Heinrich of his worries, and moves on with his day, even though rumors and radio reports are discussing possible negative consequences to Nyodene D. exposure. Citizens become more worried when the cloud receives its own name as "the airborne toxic event." Firemen eventually force the Gladneys and other families to evacuate to an old Boy Scout camp. Radio broadcasts continue to list possible symptoms as the families reach the camp. At the camp, Jack observes Heinrich in the middle of a crowd, speaking; Heinrich is comfortable with speaking to people about the airborne toxic event and death, topics that he is very knowledgeable in. |
A man from SIMUVAC, or Simulated Evacuation, informs Jack in private that he has been exposed to Nyodene D. The man is not able to tell Jack about specific consequences; he is only able to tell Jack that Nyodene D. stays in the body for thirty years, and in fifteen, more information will come. Now aware of his impending death, Jack launches himself into more bouts of fear, and becomes more dependent on Babette to comfort him and alleviate his fears. Later on, the families are allowed to return home, but scientists continue to study the environment after the airborne toxic event.
At home, Jack discovers Babette's supply of Dylar in a hiding spot. Once again, Denise cannot report any information about the drug and neither can any of the family doctors. So Jack takes it to a coworker at the College-on-the-Hill. At the same time, Jack starts noticing Babette's memory lapses and losses in concentration. Winnie Richards, from the College-on-the-Hill, takes two days to analyze Dylar, and reports that Dylar is an unreleased psycho-pharmaceutical. Winnie and Jack are very suspicious about the drug because of its unavailability and strange attributes.
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Jack finally confronts Babette about Dylar, and Babette vaguely tells about a recurring condition that she has. She tells Jack that she came across an ad for a research program. The program wished to study the effects of the secret Dylar on humans. Before Babette can start the program, it is shut down. Babette tells Jack that she saw the project manager, Mr. Gray, in private, in order to set up an arrangement to get the drug. Babette was forced to have an affair with Mr. Gray to get a supply of Dylar. Babette then tells Jack that Dylar is meant to cure her own fear of death. Babette starts crying because of the pressure of revealing her secret and Jack starts crying because he realizes that he cannot rely on Babette to alleviate his own fear of death.
Jack tells Babette about his Nyodene D. exposure, and his potential to die soon, after Babette says that Dylar has not been working for her, and may be more effective on a different candidate. Jack emphasizes the idea that his fear of death is real, and they cry again. Away from Babette, Jack tries to recover the supply of Dylar, but he cannot find it. He has suspicions that Denise has stolen the pills, but he decides to ignore the issue temporarily.
Jack tells Babette about his Nyodene D. exposure, and his potential to die soon, after Babette says that Dylar has not been working for her, and may be more effective on a different candidate. Jack emphasizes the idea that his fear of death is real, and they cry again. Away from Babette, Jack tries to recover the supply of Dylar, but he cannot find it. He has suspicions that Denise has stolen the pills, but he decides to ignore the issue temporarily.
Babette's father, and Jack's father-in-law, Vernon, comes to visit. He stays with the family for several days. He gifts Jack a German handgun, and although Jack is hesitant to accept, Jack finds comfort int he gun when Vernon describes situations in which a gun would be necessary. The gun's German origin also interests Jack.
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Jack sees Murray, and they go on a stroll through town. Jack tells Murray about his fear of death, and Murray notes that Jack finds comfort in studying Hitler because Hitler was bigger than death. Hitler beat death by living forever in history. Murray then tells Jack that killing a man is a way of beating death. Right away, Jack thinks of Mr. Gray, and starts carrying the gun habitually. On an encounter with Winnie Richards, Jack learns Mr. Gray's true name, Willie Mink, his morally incorrect practices, and his location. Jack immediately leaves to Mink's motel room.
Climax
Upon arrival to the motel, Jack plots to shoot Mink, fake a suicide note, and steal a supply of Dylar. Jack enters the motel room in a adrenaline-rushed state, where he finds Mink in a contrasting, dazed state, under the influence of Dylar. For revenge, Jack plays with Willie's mind for a few moments. Jack slowly shoots Mink twice, and prepares to stage the suicide. After placing the gun in Willie's hand to hint towards a suicide, Mink suddenly shoots Jack in the wrist. The pain shocks Jack back to rationality, and he saves Willie's life when he performs CPR on Willie and takes them both to a hospital. Jack realizes that Willie will survive, and calms down before going home.
Upon arrival to the motel, Jack plots to shoot Mink, fake a suicide note, and steal a supply of Dylar. Jack enters the motel room in a adrenaline-rushed state, where he finds Mink in a contrasting, dazed state, under the influence of Dylar. For revenge, Jack plays with Willie's mind for a few moments. Jack slowly shoots Mink twice, and prepares to stage the suicide. After placing the gun in Willie's hand to hint towards a suicide, Mink suddenly shoots Jack in the wrist. The pain shocks Jack back to rationality, and he saves Willie's life when he performs CPR on Willie and takes them both to a hospital. Jack realizes that Willie will survive, and calms down before going home.
Falling Action and Resolution
The encounter with Willie has reshaped Jack's views, and he returns to his family with much less fear of death. Jack refuses to see his doctor, and ignores signs around him that would normally startle him and remind him of death. In a way, Murray's suggestion helped Jack, and Jack has found himself able to accept the omnipresent white noise of death.
The encounter with Willie has reshaped Jack's views, and he returns to his family with much less fear of death. Jack refuses to see his doctor, and ignores signs around him that would normally startle him and remind him of death. In a way, Murray's suggestion helped Jack, and Jack has found himself able to accept the omnipresent white noise of death.