Exploration of the Struggle for Self-Discovery in Don DeLillo’s Americana

Abstract

This paper traces the continuation of the search for self in Don DeLillo’s Americana, but also DeLillo’s inclusion of terrorism in the novel. The changes in warfare give rise to an anxiety that further complicates the search for self in America. DeLillo’s search for self directly contradicts modernism in that it cannot be accomplished by ignoring society and looking inward to some intrinsic truth. The search for self in this novel is stunted by the fact that these protagonists are searching for a now-obsolete modernist form of self in a distinctly postmodern environment. Americana’s David Bell acts as a template for DeLillo’s later protagonists, as his pilgrimage out west and search for self sets the pattern for DeLillo’s later protagonists. The purpose of this novel is not to present the reader with a sense of hope for a better tomorrow; rather, it is to present the reader with a specific moment in the lives of its protagonists that is indicative of their struggle for self-discovery.