Infinite Jest

Infinite Jest (1996) is a critically acclaimed novel written by David Foster Wallace. An extremely complex and intricately written work (including over 100 pages of endnotes), it is set in a semi-parodic future dystopian version of North America. In this world, North America is one unified state composed of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Corporations purchase the naming rights to the calendar year, hence, for example: "The Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment". Furthermore, much of what used to be the Northeastern United States has become a massive hazardous waste dumping site known as "The Great Concavity."

Related Topics:
1996 - Novel - David Foster Wallace - Endnote - Dystopian - North America - United States - Canada - Mexico - Corporations - Hazardous waste

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The novel touches on themes as diverse as tennis; substance addiction and recovery programs; child abuse; advertising and popular entertainment; film and film theory; and Quebec separatism.

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Tennis - Substance addiction - Recovery programs - Child abuse - Advertising - Entertainment - Film - Film theory - Quebec separatism

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The plot device unifying these disparate themes is a film cartridge, referred to in the novel as "the Entertainment", but titled "Infinite Jest" by its auteur. Only a smiley face identifies the cartridge. The film is so "entertaining" to its unwitting viewers that they become vegetables, with no interest in anything other than endless viewings of the film.

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Auteur - Smiley

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The novel derives its name, at least in part, from a line in Hamlet, in which the title character refers to Yorick as "a fellow of infinite jest". This is humorously alluded to many times when James Incandenza's film company is called "Poor Yorick Productions". See also Shakespeare-based titles.

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Hamlet - Yorick - Shakespeare-based titles

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