In G.O.D. We Trust: The Desert of the Religious in The Broom of the System
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
11-14-2019
Department 1
Interdisciplinary Studies
Department 2
Judaic Studies
Abstract
In this book chapter, I explore the role of the Great Ohio Desert (G.O.D.) in David Foster Wallace's first novel, The Broom of the System. While most scholars see this as nothing more than a playful acronym, I argue that the notion of God as a desert provides helpful insight into Wallace's understanding of the religious. I use Søren Kierkegaard's concept of faith, (relatively unexplored in Wallace scholarship) to flesh this out.
ISBN/ISSN
9781501345289
Recommended Citation
Cisney, Vernon. “In G.O.D. We Trust: The Desert of the Religious in The Broom of the System.” David Foster Wallace and Religion: Essays on Faith and Fiction, edited by Michael McGowan and Martin Brick, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019, pp. 69-81.
Required Publisher's Statement
The complete work is available to purchase on the publisher's website.