Image In Don Delillo's Mao II
Don DeLillo's Mao II sheds light that reveals the invisible world between the makers and the consumers of images. DeLillo presents the treatment of Beirut's image in three ways, with various degrees of their ability to effect change among the masses. His fictional character Brita treats the image from an individualist perspective illustrating the difference between reality and how the image was represented. The treatment of Beirut by the capitalists, and by Abu Rashid, a terrorist leader, fragments their ability to affect change. The capitalist represents the mass merger of two separate cultures—Beirut and the West. The capitalist's merger, or mass consciousness, only comes at the death of individuality. In contrast, Abu Rashid places his
…show more content…
Rashid's autocratic reality assumes the place of his followers' reality to becomes their own identity. Bill Gray, the main character of Mao II, toys with this idea and concludes that "…from the moment your picture appears you'll be expected to look just like it and if you meet people somewhere, they will absolutely question your right to look different from your picture" (43). The message DeLillo communicates, through Rashid's fictional character, is that he is an artist capable of capturing the human consciousness. Rashid demonstrates how an individual is capable of manipulating his own aura to benefit his individual desires to create a "new nation" (236). Rashid uses the psychological power of his aura to overwhelm the individual and make them unable to understand his motivations. By purging the individuality from the cult's followers, the image becomes distorted and loses its original meaning. A profound reality takes over and his image accurately portrays his Maoist dogma— "expected to look just like it" (43). By assuming the reality of his aura, reality is quickly displaced and no longer trustworthy. DeLillo treats the terrorists as masking their own reality of the image from their own followers to enact change. In Beirut, shooting at rival images of leaders replaces the reality through surrogacy, representing a strong emotional connection to the image. DeLillo makes it clear that only terrorists are capable invoking political
Rashid's autocratic reality assumes the place of his followers' reality to becomes their own identity. Bill Gray, the main character of Mao II, toys with this idea and concludes that "…from the moment your picture appears you'll be expected to look just like it and if you meet people somewhere, they will absolutely question your right to look different from your picture" (43). The message DeLillo communicates, through Rashid's fictional character, is that he is an artist capable of capturing the human consciousness. Rashid demonstrates how an individual is capable of manipulating his own aura to benefit his individual desires to create a "new nation" (236). Rashid uses the psychological power of his aura to overwhelm the individual and make them unable to understand his motivations. By purging the individuality from the cult's followers, the image becomes distorted and loses its original meaning. A profound reality takes over and his image accurately portrays his Maoist dogma— "expected to look just like it" (43). By assuming the reality of his aura, reality is quickly displaced and no longer trustworthy. DeLillo treats the terrorists as masking their own reality of the image from their own followers to enact change. In Beirut, shooting at rival images of leaders replaces the reality through surrogacy, representing a strong emotional connection to the image. DeLillo makes it clear that only terrorists are capable invoking political