Falling Man | Analysis

In this study guide we help you with the novel Falling Man by Don DeLillo (2007).

In the guide we give you a thorough summary of the novel and its chapters, an exhaustive characterization og the most important persons, and a good overview of the themes that are significant in the novel. We will also show you what makes Falling Man a good example of a typical postmodern novel.

I this study guide we take on these themes in the novel:

Structure: How is the novel's complex structure to be understood?
Terrorism: How does the theme of terrorism play out in the novel?
Media: What role do the media play in Falling Man?
Forgetting and remembering: An important theme is that of forgetting and remembering. Some people want to forget the incidents of 9/11, others are trying to remember.
Mortality: The novel is imbued with the theme of mortality

Excerpt

Below, you can read an excerpt from our study guide:

The significance of the structure

The complex structure of Falling Man reflects how the main characters are de- and reconstructed in the aftermath of 9/11. The characters feel lost and insecure and are seeking meaning where meaning is lost. The lives of the characters are shattered and they fail to find meaning in their lives. This is reflected in the fragments of thoughts that build the novel. This type of fragmented narration is characteristic of postmodern literature. In this novel, one way of understanding the significance of these postmodern fragments is to see them as a way of giving the reader an insight into the characters’ feelings of being shattered...