// War Literature

While reading Delillo’s prologue to Underworld, I was confused as to the direction Delillo was trying to take us.  What exactly is his take on war?  It’s definitely different and challenging in its own right – not resembling the typical war stories that we had read.  However, there are a few parts to the novella that leaves quite an impression – impressions that I believe help to sketch out Delillo’s perspective on atomic weaponry and the moral health of humanity.  First instance is when Edgar examines, the painting, “The Triumph of Death,” and makes the observation that “the living are sinners” (p. 50).  He also then goes on to state that the “terror [is] universal” (p.50).  It is possible that Delillo is saying humanity as a whole is down falling – almost fatally inflicted with wounds of vices and moral stupor.  And the ultimate consequences of so are the appearances of skeletons coming to reel in the living and infernos blazing throughout the land – a terrifying image of how Hell might be.  Except, this Hell takes place during life, known as war.  And war is probably pretty damn close to the real thing, don’t you think?

If we look at the background of “The Triumph of Death,” towards the left, there is actually an explosion of fiery colors which could be viewed as the atomic bomb.  As we know, the power of atomic bombs is devastating enough to wipe out all of mankind.  Perhaps, this blaze in the distance does not only depict how the bomb looks after it is set off.  It also captures an apocalyptic sunset, the last sunset that will put the world into darkness, into nothingness.

Another part that stuck out to me is on the following page when Edgar states “that weird peeled eyeball exploding over the desert – for every one of these he reckons a hundred plots to go underground, to spawn and skein” (p.51).  It hints to the chain effect that one atomic bomb has after it goes off.  That is the “genius” of the bomb (p.51). It is not a weapon that has momentary killing effects, but it continuously spurs nations into a frenzy of conspiracy, secret planning, and paranoia.  In essence, I’d consider this a pretty good definition of the Cold War – the weaponry aspects of it at least.  What weapon to build next?  How to become stronger?  Who can create a scarier Hell?