Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. It provides a thorough exploration of the novel’s plot, characters and main themes, including drug addiction, modern society and the power of entertainment. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 50-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of David Foster Wallace
• Presentation of Infinite Jest
• Summary of Infinite Jest
• Character study
  • Hal Incandenza
  • Don Gately
  • Orin Incandenza
  • Mario Incandenza
  • James Incandenza
  • Avril Incandenza
• Analysis of Infinite Jest
  • Addiction
  • Mental illness
  • Entertainment

About Infinite Jest

Infinite Jest is David Foster Wallace’s magnum opus. It is set in the near future and centers around Hal Incandenza, a gifted tennis player who deals with the dual pressures of schoolwork and sports by self-medicating with marijuana. His father, James, committed suicide, but not before creating a lost film that is rumoured to be so compelling that it will kill anyone who watches it. Through these characters and others, including a gentle former thief and recovering drug addict, Wallace explores the effects of addiction and mental illness and the overwhelming power of entertainment.

At over 1000 pages in the paperback edition, and with hundreds of footnotes, some of which run to pages, Infinite Jest is an imposing read, but also an intensely rewarding one. It is widely considered to be one of the best novels of recent years, and has sold over a million copies to date.

About David Foster Wallace

David Foster Wallace was an American writer, and is widely recognised as one of the most influential authors of recent years. His work is noted for its scope and complexity, and he often explores the themes of depression, mental illness, addiction, sport (Wallace was previously a nationally ranked tennis player, and often draws on this experience in his writing), entertainment and politics. His best-known works include the novels Infinite Jest and The Pale King (which remained unfinished at his death and was published posthumously), and the short story collection Brief Interviews with Hideous Men.