The Transcendence in Mundanity: On the Crisis of Self-identity and Secular Spirituality in Americana
School of Foreign Studies, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| Abstract: | Critics often regard Americana as the beginning of DeLillo’s postmodern novels, which fails to fully consider the spiritual and ethical dimensions of his debut novel. While it is true that the protagonist David Bell’s crisis of self-identity and spiritual predicament result from the alienation of interpersonal relationship in postmodern society and the damage on subjectivity caused by media simulacra. However, different from typical postmodern literary works, DeLillo, in his debut novel, didn’t arrange a tragic ending in which nobody gets redemption. Instead, his criticism of postmodern society is based on his examination on the spiritual predicament of people in contemporary times and possible solutions. From the perspective of secular spirituality, this paper asserts that the protagonist Bell’s self-exploration is not a destined journey of failure, but rather a positive transformation from the crisis of self-identity and ethical nihilism to the spiritual awakening and immanent transcendence. Through describing Bell’s epiphany of his authentic self in the mundane activity of writing, DeLillo displays for the postmodern individual a possible solution to the crisis of their self-identity. |
| Keywords: | Don DeLillo; Americana; Crisis of Self-Identity; Immanent Transcendence; Spiritual Awakening |
| DOI: | 10.57237/j.ha.2023.04.003 |
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Received: 5 December 2023
Accepted: 27 December 2023
Published Online: 29 December 2023
Funding
| 1. | 2021年江西省高校人文社科项目“唐•德里罗小说中的世俗灵性与内在超越研究” (项目编号: WGW21203) |
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