Infinite Jest (2016-2017)

Below are links to each week’s reflections on David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest:

1

  • 1-27. Hal breaks down, Erdedy breaks down.
  • 27-55. The introduction of Hal’s weird dad, his weird mum, and his weird brothers, the infamous Wardine chapter, and our first glimpse of The Entertainment.
  • 55-78. Several more E.T.A. snippets, our introduction to Don Gately and Kate Gompert, and our first very long footnote: James Incandenza’s filmography.
  • 78-105. The strange beauty of tennis, E.T.A. locker room talk, the introduction of Tiny Ewell, Marathe and Steeply.
  • 105-128. Marathe and Steeply talk about love,  the Big Buddies teaching their tiny students, a romantic scene with Mario, and the introduction of Lyle.
  • 128-156. A jolly Christmas story, Hal and Orin on the phone, our first introduction to Ennet House, an email correspondence, a class essay, a magazine article, and the famous videophony section.
  • 157-181. Jim and his father, Pemulis and the DMZ, Hal narrates a film by Mario, transcripts from the residents of Ennet House.
  • 181-211. Madame Psychosis’s show, Ennet House + surroundings, some more of the always-interesting Lyle, and AA philosophy.
  • 211-270. Pemulis and the DMZ, Joelle goes to a party, the names of the years, and tennis.
  • 270-299. Gately in the AA and Orin falling in love.
  • 299-312. Poor Tony introduced properly, a class on double-binds, a politically charged phone conversation between Hal and Orin.
  • 312-342. More Mario, a return (finally) to the Marathe and Steeply dialogue, and the infamous Eschaton scene.
  • 343-375. AA and what it’s like to be an addict.
  • 375-410. Snippets of Marathe and Steeply, Boston AA, Lyle, and ONAN and ETA legends.
  • 410-442. More world-building, with President Gentle, the fate of the big American Ad companies, Marathe and Steeply on soup, and more of the Clipperton saga.
  • 442-475. Gately on God. More Steeply-Marathe discussion of the Entertainment, and more Ennet House.
  • 475-508. A man and his broom. Two mini-Marathe-Steeply sections, a return to James + his father, and a sequence about hugging.
  • 508-538. With Hal for most of these pages. Another Marathe-Steeply snippet, and a rare Joelle chapter.
  • 538-575. Spend time with Lenz, the habits of Tine and Avril, some snippets from Ennet House and Moment Magazine, and the Great Idris Arslanian.
  • 575-615. More Lenz, the Incandenza children, and then a gunshot.
  • 616-662. A hill-side spectacle and wheelchair event, ETA students at supper, the famous M*A*S*H scene, Kate and depression, and “chess on the run.”
  • 663-698. Bain on Avril and her dog, the tunnel club, depression and millennial America.
  • 698-735. Hal and Blood Sister: One Tough Nun, Hal’s and Joelle’s reflections, and Randy, Ruth, Kate, and so many others all nearly crossing paths.
  • 736-774. The Incandenza family, Marathe hunting Joelle, and Mario trying to take care of Hal.
  • 774-808. Last of the long endnotes. Marathe meets Kate, Hal and Mario talk, Hal tries therapy, Molly Notkin reveals all, and Pemulis meets his match.
  • 809-851. Gately and James.
  • 851-896. More Hal dreams, more Gately dreams, a public safety announcement, and an elastic forehead.
  • 896-938. Harold Bloom, horror, hospital visits, and the end times.
  • 938-981. Joelle, Mikey, Loach, and the End.