In Ch. 3, Murray (the pop culture professor who wants to
establish Elvis Studies in the same way Jack’s formed Hitler Studies) takes
Jack to THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA. He explains:
“We’re not here to capture an image, we’re here to maintain one.
Every photograph reinforces the aura. Can you feel it, Jack? An accumulation of
nameless energies” (12).
And:
“They are taking pictures of taking pictures” (13).
How does this scene shape the novel at large, and what is
DeLillo saying about postmodern life through this scene?
Once Murray brings Jack to THE MOST PHOTGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA a sudden silence falls over Murray. He is soundless, and gathers his thoughts over this barn. He states how the barn itself is no longer unique and rather viewing or going to the barn is more of a ritual, a continuous amount of time spent doing what has become mundane. This relates to the novel as well as postmodern life in the sense that it has all been done before. It is not special, and it seems as if Murray does not even enjoy this photographic barn simply because it has been idolized, landmarked, and had its style beaten to death by the amount of publicity (and amount of signs) placed upon this once unique idea has turned it into no more than a tourist attraction. Later on in the novel it is brought up how “everything is symbols” and perhaps this barn scene was symbolic of the fact that every photograph is symbolically another book published within the genre that is postmodernism. Each paperback reinforces the field but it is not truly capturing the original image of this symbolic “barn” and are instead basing the writings off of other writings, rather than gathering their own “photographs.”
ReplyDeleteNot exactly sure what you're going for in the end of this post.
DeleteIn the scene with THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA, Murray seems enthralled with the idea that the barn does not exist outside of this aura created by the plethora of photographs capturing every second of its otherwise innocuous existence. When Murray says, “We’re not here to capture an image, we’re here to maintain one… an accumulation of nameless energies,” he means that more energy is spent in harvesting the uses of an image than in initial, organic observation. The signs that barraged their drive to see this barn created this perception of the barn as something revered and worthy of the attention bestowed upon it, so Jack and Murray are unable to judge for themselves what makes this barn special beyond the crowds deeming it as such. This is telling of some sort of epistemological dilemma—what gives the barn meaning?
ReplyDeleteMurray comments on the constant state of maintaining appearances in which we are so ready to find meaning in everything that we jump to create images that might inspire it without evaluating each subject organically. Postmodern life, then, is more concerned with the production of perception than with the raw, unprocessed happenings in the world. There is a hyper-self-awareness that breeds this “the whole world is a stage” mentality—nothing is safe from a constant stream of images warped by media.
When Murray makes his statements about THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA he is saying many things. He is questioning what the barn would have ever been if no one would have ever taken a picture of it. It would just be another barn, nothing special. It in fact is not anything special people in society have created it into something more than it is in reality. Murray and Jack are participating in the part of society that has helped maintain this image of this one particular barn. He is saying that things are what society makes them to be, nothing more nothing less.
ReplyDeleteThis can be applied to the novel as a whole. Throughout the toxic event section Jack questions what their homes, schools and belongings are when no one is there to use them. These seemingly meaningful things are just mere objects until society makes them into something more. This is especially try about the Dylar. The Dylar has been created through wishful thinking. Society wants something like Dylar which is why it was created. Without society drugs like Dylar would never exist. Society is the driving force of production. This can even be connected to Murray's talk about children being the ones who really matter in society because so many things are produced to simply humor children. For adults these things become more complicated, like Dylar, and adult consumers become detached from products. Murray's whole point is that things are what society makes them out to be and that is all.
Rita Inamdar
ReplyDeleteTHE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA is a simple barn, yet is famous and has attraction due to its hype. The barn itself has no special qualities other than being photographed many times. That is why Murray and Jack start talking about maintaining an image. You can’t capture the image because it has already been photographed numerous times. The image is maintained through its many photographs, and it creates a buzz about a landmark that otherwise would not be noticed. In this case Murray calls the hype of THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA “the aura.” They continue to discuss the aura and how it is all due to people hyping up what would otherwise be a simple barn. The aura is due to people “taking pictures of taking pictures.” The look around at all the people and see everyone taking photographs of this barn, but no one is talking about the barn or its qualities.
This relates to the book as a whole and postmodern life because it shows how items do not have as much significant value until people deem it to be important or valuable. Murray does not care for the barn because it has become so idolized by the people around it. The barn itself is not that impressive, but the people that visit, create this aura of importance, therefore making the barn valuable.
the scene in chapter 3 when Murray and jack visit the MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA is intriguing for multiple reasons. In all physical aspects, the barn is no different than any other barn, except for the fact that it is the most photographed barn in the country. Although this does not change the physicality of the building, it changes, as Murray puts it, the “aura” of the barn. Instead of being interesting on its own, it is the hoards of people who visit and take pictures that make it interesting. At one point Murray says, they are there not to "capture an image, but to maintain one", the purpose being that they are maintaining the fact that it is the most photographed barn in the country. Without the people and their cameras, the barn would be ordinary. The barn is special only because people make it that way. As Murray states, they have 'agreed to be part of a collective perception' by visiting the barn and simply being there, they are adding to an already set idea.
ReplyDeleteThis whole scene propagates the idea that nothing would ever be important or have meaning or worth without people giving it worth. This is what connects the scene with the entire novel and postmodern life. Murray wonders what the barn looked like before it was photographed, an interesting question because physically the barn is no different than before, but because it carries a substantial name with it, it is perceived to be different, unique and significant.
In this scene in the novel, Jack and Murray go visit THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BARN IN AMERICA. This scene makes basically illustrates the people of America’s reliance on media in this world. The barn was nothing special; it is only famous for the fact that everyone goes to take pictures of it. Murray has another interpretation of what he sees. When he says, “We’re not here to capture an image, we’re here to maintain one. Every photograph reinforces the aura. Can you feel it, Jack?” Murray meant that all the people that were there taking a picture are simply upholding the barn’s status. DeLillo used Murray’s interpretation of the barn to insert his own opinion of postmodern life. DeLillo’s point is that the media in America can make almost anything popular by portraying it in a positive, sometimes negative, light. It can make the simplest things seem so much more significant than they really are. These people feed into the already formed stereotypes of the world, for example cutting your hair a certain way because everyone does it, or wear a certain brand because everyone else does, etc. DeLillo is trying to show the effectiveness of advertisement on people and how it is very easy for society to get caught up in the hype of things instead of appreciating things for what they really are.
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