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Infinite Endnotes and Important Clichés: New Sincerity in David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest

Pettersson Peeker, Aili LU (2014) LIVR41 20141
Master's Programme: Literature - Culture - Media
Comparative Literature
Abstract
In the past decades, a field of so-called Wallace Studies, i.e. academic studies dedicated to the investigation of David Foster Wallace’s writings, has emerged and developed. These studies are often connected to the equally new literary concept of new sincerity. However, despite the number of articles published on the subject, the scholarly works going into any textual, exemplifying analysis of Wallace’s literature are few. The result is a research field with vague definitions, generalizing conclusions and many ambiguities.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how the depiction of clichés and compassion as well as aspects of the narrative structure of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest relates to the concept of new sincerity. By a... (More)
In the past decades, a field of so-called Wallace Studies, i.e. academic studies dedicated to the investigation of David Foster Wallace’s writings, has emerged and developed. These studies are often connected to the equally new literary concept of new sincerity. However, despite the number of articles published on the subject, the scholarly works going into any textual, exemplifying analysis of Wallace’s literature are few. The result is a research field with vague definitions, generalizing conclusions and many ambiguities.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how the depiction of clichés and compassion as well as aspects of the narrative structure of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest relates to the concept of new sincerity. By a close reading, an examination of the ironic norm of the novel as well as examples illustrating deviations from this norm is performed. It is further argued that Wallace’s novel portrays an alternative to the cynical default setting of postmodern culture. The thesis concludes with a discussion regarding how Wallace’s use of endnotes affects the relationship between reader and writer. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Pettersson Peeker, Aili LU
supervisor
organization
course
LIVR41 20141
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
New Sincerity, Post-postmodernism, Cliché, David Foster Wallace, Irony
language
English
id
4530133
date added to LUP
2014-07-02 16:13:53
date last changed
2014-09-10 12:14:39
@misc{4530133,
  abstract     = {{In the past decades, a field of so-called Wallace Studies, i.e. academic studies dedicated to the investigation of David Foster Wallace’s writings, has emerged and developed. These studies are often connected to the equally new literary concept of new sincerity. However, despite the number of articles published on the subject, the scholarly works going into any textual, exemplifying analysis of Wallace’s literature are few. The result is a research field with vague definitions, generalizing conclusions and many ambiguities.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how the depiction of clichés and compassion as well as aspects of the narrative structure of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest relates to the concept of new sincerity. By a close reading, an examination of the ironic norm of the novel as well as examples illustrating deviations from this norm is performed. It is further argued that Wallace’s novel portrays an alternative to the cynical default setting of postmodern culture. The thesis concludes with a discussion regarding how Wallace’s use of endnotes affects the relationship between reader and writer.}},
  author       = {{Pettersson Peeker, Aili}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Infinite Endnotes and Important Clichés: New Sincerity in David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}