A great novel by a great writer. Reflexion about life, power, money, future of the world, in a rich style. An impressive story.
Eric Packer
(28 years old) shows an impressive financial success. He controls everything in
thousands of a second. He continuously monitors the evolution of all the
important financial supports. He has the arrogance of youth to whom everything
succeeds. Yet, something is wrong.
He controls his financial empire, but also
all the threats to his situation, and on his person. He knows that a single
grain of sand can stop its coming fine mechanics.
His car is the symbol of his careful planning. A magnificent white limousine driven by his chauffeur. In this car, Eric
can monitor and manage all he wants, without leaving his seat. Don Delillo
describes beautifully the vehicle and the situation. This is the ultimate in
high-tech, while colored lights flashing in an atmosphere of night, as in the
movies focusing on the design or the foil, to impress the spectator, giving an
impression of luxury.
Eric could have stayed in his office to
continue its work methodically, allowing it to earn more and more money. But
then, he decided to get a haircut and go to the hairdresser. This decision
results in a signal for battle. Eric is accompanied by his bodyguards and
assistants who are suspicious of everyone and everything. Meanwhile, Eric
doen’t lose a moment, since he spends its daily check-up in the limousine.
But, if Eric continues to operate at the
same place, the limousine isn’t moving. Indeed, there is the unexpected in the
city (New York). A funeral mobilizes an unexpected crowd to uncontrollable
movements. On the other hand, the U.S. president mooves too. For his safety,
entire neighborhoods are looped. Eric is thus found to stand still and observe
typical of a billboard that can be seen in New York. Eric looks to the strings
of numbers (stock market) scroll at breakneck speed and sees Arthur Rapp,
director of the IMF murdered live in the Nike factory in South Korea. Eric knew
Arthur Rapp…
The limousine stopped, Eric watches a
seductive young woman in the car next door. Drawing closer, he recognizes
Elise, his wife. Elise wrote poems. The shit, it seems. No matter, especially
that Eric has mistresses. How many ? Hard to say. Numbers difficult to
assess, especially since in some cases, descriptions of situations evoke
fantasies rather than reality.
Eric has focused on the fall of the yen.
According to him, it’s impossible that the yen comes out of a range he knows
exactly. However, the yen continues to rise, against all odds.
Eric feels that the story escapes.
He begins to ask many questions, like « Why something rather than
nothing ? » In short, he realizes he has no motivation to continue
his work enrichment madman. Then he causes his own ruin. And finally to make
sure, as he manages to ruin Elise.
On the other hand, the so-called Benno Levin
as obsession to kill Eric. Why ? We learnt that Benno Levin worked for
Eric. This allows him to know all workings ot the company. There is always a fault…
Don
DeLillo impressed by chaining ultra-detailed descriptions and reflections of a
great metaphysical relevance about the state of the world we live in and the
direction in which it runs. DeLillo describes a world dominated by money. A
collaborator of Eric said
« Possession has no value as compared to the price we pay. The value
number (in dollars) is its own justification. » DeLillo wrote
« ultimately, it’s a system of control .» Then « What is the fault in human rationality ? » thinking that this
system of control was created by man… He continues his argument by telling
another character « for the anarchists, the need to destroy is a creative
need ! » So, Eric has won everything trying to lose everything to a
kind of virginity again, find the will to fight to live.
Finally, in a sort of shed, Eric is
faced with the one who seeks to kill him. Eric has been confronted with
several outbreaks of violence. His universe is near the far protected spheres
much more risk. What can be the meaning of death at a time when almost infinite
extension of digital memory systems approaches the capacity of the human
brain ?
It was understood Don DeLillo
arises commited writer who seeks to warn us. Leaving the world dominated by the
financial powers, man is doomed. Unlimited expansion is a lie invented by the
capitalists to justify their methods. At the end of the way, death awaits all
of us. But ignore all the emotional dimension, it would reject everything that
makes us human and not machines.This novel shows that the fascination with
beautiful mechanics dzzling modernity can lead to a dangerous kind of
intoxication…
Dedicated to Paul Auster, this
novel shows the New York fever .Fever raging all over the world… How to get out
of this mess ? A great novel in the bottom as in form.
United States
©2003
****
This novel was adapted by David
Cronenberg for the cinema. A film with Robert Pattinson, selected in official
competition for Cannes film festival 2012.