What's in a Name?

There are many interesting factors that come into play when discussing ‘White Noise’ Perhaps the first that captured my attention was the relationship DeLillo creates with Jack and his fascination to Hitler. My first instinct when reading ‘White Noise’ I found it somewhat disturbing in the world of fiction to discover that Jack had called his first son ‘Heinrich’ as Jack thought it was “[...] a forceful name, a strong name. It has a kind of authority” (63). Although Jack denies that Heinrich anyone is named after anyone, the description of the importance of the name Heinrich creates an ominous tone “I thought it had an authority that might cling to him. I thought it was forceful and impressive I still do. I wanted to shield him, make him unafraid” (63).  With a knowledge of WWII this created a somewhat eerie and uncomfortable reading as automatically, this drew the comparison to Heinrich Himmler, the commanding officer of the SS. Heinrich can certainly be interpreted as a disturbing character who is wise beyond his years, Heinrich is indeed a social recluse who holds a troubling obsession with death and appears to seek pleasure in disasters and freak accidents. It is without a doubt that DeLillo has chosen this name carefully perhaps to provoke reactions of disturbance from the reader.

            Similarly to Heinrich, the importance of persona and identity  is significant in regards to Jack’s character. It can be perceived as almost an issue of vanity as well as an issue of masculinity. The loss of the letter ‘C’ to form ‘J.A.K’ Gladney is an attempt to create a sense of importance and purpose within Jack’s academic and career setting to appear strong and imperative . However, as discussed previously, the irony is that regardless of the form or style, the name still sounds the same. It is though Jack is trying to draw a fine line between J.A.K: the strong, somewhat intimidating and successful Hitler Studies scholar and academic; and Jack: Husband and Father. It is clear Jack fears emasculation and loss of identity, for insistence, the importance his academic robs and glasses hold over him as a security, almost as if they are a mask he uses to perform and act differently. When Jack is confronted in the supermarket by a student without his mask of J.A.K, he is simply Jack, which brings on this fear of how he is perceived by others.