SEEKING IMMORTALITY: THE HUMAN CRAVING TO OUTLIVE DEATH
THROUGH CRYONICS IN DON DELILLO’S ZERO K
Divine Cinderella A,
Ph.D. Research
Scholar,
PG & Research
Department of English,
Sri Sarada College
for Women (Autonomous), Salem,
Tamil Nadu
&
Dr. K. Sangeetha,
Associate
Professor,
PG & Research
Department of English,
Sri Sarada College
for Women (Autonomous), Salem,
Tamil Nadu
Abstract:
As an exquisite
analyst of life in the present age, Don DeLillo has masterfully shaped many
intricate narratives that portray a world obsessed with technological
sophistication. His novels are well known for their thought-provoking insights
on the complexities of human nature. Zero K by Don DeLillo is one such novel
that hinges on the concepts of mortality, immortality, and technology. The
novel revolves around the concept of cryogenic preservation, where individuals
choose to freeze their bodies in pursuit of surpassing death in the hope of
being revived in the future when a cure is found. This addresses the fear of
death and the desire to transcend mortality through technology. Through the
narrator’s standpoint, one can witness humanity’s attempt to defy nature and
challenge the limits of life, death and human choice. This eventually disrupts
the universal rhythm of existence. The novel is an intellectual exploration and
introspection on loss, connection and the inevitability of death. This
ultimately underscores the tension between the soul’s yearning for the escape
from death and the essence of reality. The present study explores the idea of a
cryonic facility that serves as a menacing motif of one’s desire to go beyond
mortality.
Keywords: Death,
Existence, Immortality, Life, Mortality
Technology has
become an important facet of our lives that influences our day-to-day
communication, healthcare, entertainment, and education. From the invention of
simple devices to powerful innovations of machinery, technology has come a long
way. Innovation that incorporates technology makes our lives way easier, but
every innovation has its own benefits and drawbacks. Technology helps to
connect people worldwide, simplifies every task through automation, and addresses
every issue, making humans dependent on it in this fast-changing world. As we
depend more on it, the lines between the real world and the technological realm
blur, creating unimaginable destruction.
The
technology is evolving each day, reaching levels beyond one’s understanding,
even spanning methods to preserve human body. Don DeLillo is a master of
unravelling psychological and philosophical debates, has written a
thought-provoking novel on posthumanism and impinge on human’s life and death
through the impact of technology.
Don
DeLillo (1936–present) is one of the most prolific and celebrated contemporary
novelists, having authored 17 novels till date, including Americana, White
Noise, Point Omega, Zero K, and Falling Man. His works
also extend to playwriting, essays, and short stories. DeLillo’s writing is
recognized for its deep engagement with historical events, critiques of
consumerism, examinations of conformity, and commentary on political
landscapes, establishing him as a quintessential postmodernist author.
Though
DeLillo was already a respected cult figure in literary circles by the
mid-1980s, his 1985 novel White Noise catapulted him to mainstream
acclaim. For fiction, the National Book Award was presented to him. He
wrote Libra after this achievement in 1988, a fictionalized exploration of
the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. His 1991 novel Mao II,
which examines themes of terrorism and the media’s invasive scrutiny of
writers, earned him the PEN/Faulkner Award. Another landmark in his career came
with Underworld (1997), a sweeping historical novel that spans from the
Cold War’s inception to the onset of the internet. This work secured him the
prestigious William Dean Howells Medal.
DeLillo’s
accolades reflect his lasting impact on literature. In 1999, he received the
Jerusalem Prize for his contribution to the freedom of the individual in society;
in2010, the PEN/Saul Bellow Award recognising his excellence in American
Fiction; and in 2013 the Library of Congress Prize. Beyond his novels, DeLillo
is a prolific essayist whose works have been featured in notable publications
such as The New Yorker, Harper’s, The New York Times Magazine, Granta,
and Rolling Stone. His pieces of literature span a diverse range of
topics, including reflections on significant historical events like the JFK
assassination and the September 11, 2001, attacks, as well as commentaries introducing
his upcoming works.DeLillo’s multifaceted career demonstrates his remarkable
ability to intertwine fiction with history, offering readers profound insights
into contemporary life and its complexities.
Richard E.
Petty and John Terrence
both created a framework called ‘Elaboration
Likelihood Model’ of persuasion also refers to as (ELM). This model
is applied to comprehend prejudice, consumer choice, political and legal
decisions, and health behaviours.
This
analytical paper uses ‘Elaboration Likelihood Model,’ which was propounded by
Richard E. Petty and John Terrence Cacioppo, to study Don DeLillo’s Zero K.
This model decodes the implications of escaping mortality and highlights the
discussion between Jeffrey and his father Ross, which offers a discrepancy
between critical thinking and emotional influence. The model postulates that
thoughtful thinking results in long-lasting and meaningful views, while
reliance on facile ideas can result in only fragile and brief credence.
The novel Zero K by
Don DeLillo is a cogitation on the crossroads of mortality, identity, and
technology. It blurs the line between life and death by incorporating
‘cryonics’ (i.e.) human freezing technology. The novel delves into the world of
cryonics, where wealthy and powerful people attempt to transcend death. The
narrator’s stepmother, who is battling with illness, chooses cryogenic
preservation, hoping to be revived when a cure is found. Her lovable husband,
the narrator’s father, also prefers the same procedure, seeking a happy future
(Alan and Giséle 518). Through the narrator’s lens, one can witness a world
moving towards destruction owing to humanity’s attempt to go against nature and
cheat mortality, ultimately ruining the natural order of existence. Zero K is described as “duly benumbed and also duly brilliant”
(Daum).
The
‘Elaboration Likelihood Model’ is a theory of persuasion and attitude change,
suggesting that individuals can be influenced through two primary methods.
Elaboration refers to the extent of conscious thought an individual invests in
making a decision. According to the model, individuals with high elaboration
carefully analyse the facts before making a decision. Conversely, those with
low elaboration engage in minimal conscious thought when making a decision. The
main focus of the theory is to explain how individuals are persuaded to accept
ideas, make choices, or change their beliefs based on how convincing and
appealing the message is.
If
the elaboration is high, then one will process the decision through the Central
Route Processing, whereas if the elaboration is low, then one will take the
decision through Peripheral Route Processing. In order to find and determine
the elaboration, considering three factors – namely motivation, ability and
opportunity – is crucial. If these factors are high, Central Route Processing
should be applied. If any one of these factors is low, then Peripheral Route
Processing is used.
Motivation is
a strong desire to process the message that has been received. For instance,
students preparing for an important exam are highly motivated to understand and
process the information in their textbook because it directly impacts their
performance.
The second factor is ability. Even
if one has the motivation, it is necessary to have the capacity to understand
and have the subject knowledge of it. For instance, a person reading a
scientific article will have the ability to process it if he/she has sufficient
knowledge of the subject and a quiet environment for concentration. Without
these, his/her ability to process the information would be low.
The next one
is opportunity. One should have the time available to make the decision. For
instance, if someone is stuck in traffic with plenty of time to listen to a
podcast, they have the opportunity to focus and process the information being
shared.
As
mentioned earlier, Central Route Processing happens when elaboration is higher,
and using it requires listening carefully to the content and evaluating the
pros and cons before making a decision. Central Route Processing requires
conscious thought and critical thinking, which, in turn, helps one to stay
motivated, develop the ability, and also seize the opportunity. The views that
are created through Central Route Processing tend to belong -lasting and
effective. This is because when one has formulated their understanding this
way, they are less likely to have a second thought and change their mind, and
more likely to go with the flow of understanding.
The
Peripheral Route Processing does not involve consciously examining the
information but relies on positive or negative cues from the content. Emotions
play a big role, and there is no real focus on thinking time. One can use both
routes to analyse effectiveness, as they are not mutually exclusive.
Analysing
Don DeLillo’s Zero K through the ELM gives the following results. ELM
was developed by Richard E. Petty and John Cacioppo in
1980, which includes two steps: the Central Route Processing and the Peripheral
Route Processing.
In
the Central Route Processing, motivation is evident for the protagonist
Jeffrey, who is deeply motivated to evaluate the philosophy of cryonics and the
uncanny environment of the Convergence due to his skepticism.Jeffrey inquires: “I wanted to know
where I was and what was happening around me” (DeLillo 23).
As a son and an
observer, Jeffrey feels a necessity to question the ethical and existential
implications of freezing and preserving life. Cryonics is an abstract concept
for Jeffrey as he is new to it, but it is unavoidably tied to his father Ross’s
decision and the fate of his stepmother Artis. The following lines said by Ross
describe how he is drawn to cryonics: “She’s completely ready. There’s no trace
of hesitation or second thoughts…The body will be frozen. Cryonic suspension” (DeLillo
8).
Ability is apparent
in Jeffrey, even though he processes very little intellectual capacity and
requires more time to think critically about what is happening within the
Convergence and around him. The eerie environment, characterised by mysterious
rooms, doors, and halls, the screens projected to the walls that extend to the
ceiling, and unfathomable visuals that stimulate his mind, prompt him to think
and question the people living in the Convergence.He questions the values and
the overall purpose of the project, showing his deep thinking and concern about
how it affects human identity and life itself.
Jeffrey asks
many questionsto his father about why they are here in an isolated area not
known to anyone and not in the city. One day, he unfolds his uncertainty, saying,
“Do I ask the question or do I accept the situation passively? I want to know
the rules.” His father responds calmly, “What’s the question?” to which Jeffrey
finally said, “Where are we?” (DeLillo 29).
Jeffrey speaks with a monkworking at the
Convergence who was once a member of a post-evangelist group, asking questions
about his presence there, such as why he is here and what he is doing at the
Convergence. The following lines highlight the significance of the moment in
the context of the novel: Jeffrey asks the monk “What do you do here?” to which
the monk replies “I talk to the dying” (DeLillo
40).
The monk, however, becomes a companion to Jeffrey
and often discusses the concept of mortality with him. Although the monk
believes in the inevitability of mortality, he continues to work at the
Convergence, a place seemingly at odds with his beliefs. The following is the
description made on monk by Jeffrey:
But
the Monk wasn’t that man, was he? The Monk had a role here. He spoke to men and
women who’d been placed in a shelter, a safehold, people in the last days or
hours of the only life they’d ever known, and he had no illusions about the
sweeping promise of a second life. (DeLillo
86)
The
opportunity to enter into the environment of the Convergence provides Jeffrey
the chance to scrutinize the necessary resources and space for critical
evaluation. The extended periods he spends at the Convergence facility give him
the opportunity to observe, question, and reflect on their ideology. He states
as follows:
We three entered an enclosure and as the access door slid shut behind us
I became faintly aware of motion that may have been horizontal, a whispered
glide at a speed that I could not estimate. Time seemed also beyond my ability
to measure. There was a sense of temporal blur and could have been seconds or
possibly minutes before we were inserted into a vertical shaft, proceeding
downward, so I imagined, into the numbered levels. The effect was free floating
sensation, nearly out-of-body, and if the twoothers spoke I didn’t hear them.
(DeLillo 90)
Jeffrey visits
the monk’s workplace, where he observes numerous patients in a comatose state,
sparking his curiosity about their condition and the purpose of the Convergence’s
operations, which look like a bomb shelter. Upon visiting his place, Jeffrey
cannot help but envision the next-generation technologies that might one day be
tested to the boy in the monitored wheelchair, allowing him to return as a
runner, jumper, or public speaker. Despite his deep scepticism, the idea is
impossible to ignore. He narrates as follows:
“I found
myself thinking of the new technologies that would one day be applied to his
body and brain allowing him to return to the world as a runner, a jumper, a
public speaker.” He further states, “How could I fail to consider the idea,
even in my deep skepticism?” (DeLillo 94).
Jeffrey asks several questions to the
monk about the procedures there but he is not convinced by any of them. The
monk’s answers rely on blind faith in science and the future, which do not
satisfy Jeffrey. He thinks that this might be useful for disabled people, but
not for the ones who recklessly want to attain immortality. This leaves him
unconvinced and highlights the deeper questions about life, death, and what it
means to be human.
Through Central Route Processing, one
can understand and pinpoint that Jeffrey isbeing reasonable in his thoughts. He
is strongly analytical and reflective, pertaining to the realm of cryonics. Rather
than passively accepting the guarantee of the Convergence, he analyses the
ideas behind it. This cognitive value itself is evident for refusing the
ideologies of the Convergence. Jeffrey sets an example of how individuals make
decisions with complex issues when motivated by critical thinking.
Peripheral Route Processing involves a
less thoughtful, more automatic process, relying on superficial cues and
emotional influence. Ross, emotionally overwhelmed by his wife’s condition,
finds it difficult to engage in critical thinking. His decision to consider
cryonics is influenced by the authority of the Convergence scientists, the
sterile environment, and the emotional appeal of saving loved ones. These
superficial cues, such as expert endorsements and the appeal to hope, guide his
decision-making rather than logical analysis. Later in the novel, Ross wants to
engage with the cryonics process more deeply, seeking a rational understanding.
Consequently, Ross’s belief in cryonics becomes fragile, easily swayed by
external factors, and less likely to endure over time without deeper cognitive
engagement. He opines as follows:
Down in an area that serves as a hospice I sometimes
stand among the people being prepared to undergo the process. Anticipation and
awe intermingled. Far more palpable than apprehension or uncertainty. There’s a
reverence, a state of astonishment. They’re together in this. Something far
larger than they’d ever imagined. They feel a common mission, a destination.
And I find myself trying to imagine such a place centuries back. A lodging, a
shelter for travelers. For pilgrims. (DeLillo 9)
Ross’s love for Artis is also evident in the following
line: “I’m going with her” (DeLillo 110), when he expresses his emotions to
Jeffrey. Jeffrey is flabbergasted with his father’s decision. He thinks that
his father is being brainwashed by the Convergence. He further adds “I’ve been thinking about this for some time…I don’t
want to lead the life I’ll be leading without her” (DeLillo 110). Jeffrey rants
with his inner grievance and dumbstruck in this situation.
He begins to question whether money has
the power to make anything possible. Jeffrey remembers the old saying: “Live
the billionaire’s myth of immortality…Give the futurists their blood money and
they will make it possible for you live forever. The pod would be his final
shine of entitlement” (DeLillo 117). Jeffrey starts to wonder whether there are
people like him who take irrational and emotional choices.
Thus,
the facts presented here reveal that Jeffrey’s Central Route Processing allows
him to critically analyse and ultimately reject cryonics and the ideology of
theConvergence. By carefully evaluating the moral, philosophical, and
existential flaws in its arguments, Jeffrey forms a reasoned and stable stance
against the pursuit of immortality. In contrast, Ross relies on the Peripheral
Route Processing, influenced by superficial factors like emotional appeals and
the authority of the scientists, leading him to accept the ideology without
deeper scrutiny. Jeffrey’s motivation, ability, and opportunity enable him to
form a stable and enduring attitude against the pursuit of immortality.
When
viewed in this way, ELM helps to explain how and why people accept or reject
big ideas. It shows whether the characters are persuaded by deep thinking or
surface level thinking. Even the intellectual people can be swayed by
peripheral cues when dealing with uncertainty. Zero K shows how people a
persuaded to believe in big ideas like defeating death. Some analyses deeply
while others be swayed by appearance or authority. This highlights the
importance of critical thinking.
Works Cited
DeLillo, Don. Zero K. Pan
Macmillan, 2016.
Casteluber, Alan Medeiros, and GiséleManganelli Fernandes. “Posthumanity
in DeLillo’s Zero K: The Rising Connections between Identity and Technology.” RevistaIlha do
Desterrro: A Journal of English Language, Literatures in English and
Cultural Studies, vol. 74, no. 1,
Jan-Apr 2021, pp. 518-519. SciELO Brazil,
www.scielo.br/j/ides/a/p3FXTBXhvFqDRF7GmXSk4cS/.
Daum, Meghan. “Death and Don DeLillo.” The
Atlantic, May 2016,
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/death-and-don-delillo/476367/.
Jordison, San.
“Zero K and making sense of ‘late period’ Don DeLillo.” The Guardian, 22 Feb. 2018. www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/24/zero-k-and-making-sense-of-late-period-don-delillo-white-noise.
Nickerson,
Charlotte, “Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion.” Simple Psychology,26 Sept. 2023,
www.simplypsychology.org/elaboration-likelihood-model.html.
Parker, Alan Michael. “Mortal Panic: On Don
DeLillo’s Zero K.” The Kenyon Review, 22
March, 2017, kenyonreview.org/reviews/zero-k-by-don-delillo-738439/#:~:text=He's%20funny%2C%20in%20a%20recognizably,dramatic%20tension%20as%20we%20go.