The Generational Gap and the Role of Technology in the Contemporary Family in Selected American Novels by Don Delillo, Dave Eggers and Jonathan Franzen: A Postmodern Approach

Family is the source of the personal development and moral values within the society. It is often viewed as an idealistic solution to the problem of fragmentation and isolation in the contemporary society. Family in the postmodern society is characterized by alienation, loss of identity, unreality, skepticism, increasing access to information and the widespread of the electronic media. These characteristics are found in the three novels under study (Don Dellilo’s White Noise (1985), Dave Eggers’ The Circle (2013) and Jonathan Franzen’s Purity (2015). In the three novels, the authors emphasize the feelings of isolation and fragmentation that are present in the postmodern world through both style and the subject matter as well as they expose the inherent disconnection and confusion in the late twentieth century life.
Undoubtedly, the family plays a very essential role in the social and moral development of the individuals within the society and has an effective role in forming the person’s character. Therefore, the conflict between parents themselves affects the psychological development of the children and changes the “nature of the parent-child relationship, creates anxiety and distress over stimulation’s and frightens children, weakens parents, protective capacity and compromises identify formation” (Nazir 1395). The family in the three novels is a representation of the contemporary society and reflects the characteristics of its individuals as well as the tension and anxiety of the digital age. Through the three novels, the writers warn the readers against the absolute dependency on the technological tools and neglecting their human sides.