Media as a Tool of Consumerism in Don DeLillo’s Americana

Abstract

This essay analyzes Americana, Don DeLillo’s first novel, through the lens of postmodern theory and semiotics. It attempts to examine the relationship between the media and consumerism and the media’s effects on people and argues that Americana not only concretely portrays how the media turn people into relentless consumers but also depicts the devastating effects of the media on each individual: hindering one from establishing healthy relationships with others, distorting one’s perception of oneself, and destroying one’s moral judgment. Paying attention to DeLillo’s use of satire to exaggerate the disastrous effect of the media on characters in this novel, this essay also argues that he criticizes the postmodern condition and consumerism that imprison consumers and deprive them of actual fulfillment and true happiness beyond the superficiality the media offers.