Essay Questions

How does Denis Johnson illustrate the imageries of hearing and smell in his book Jesus’ Son?

Denis Johnson uses the narrator and the truck driver to convey the imageries of smell and hearing. For instance, when the narrator is involved in a disastrous accident, he expects the truck driver to give a helping hand. However, it is ironic that instead of helping, the truck driver pours himself a cup of coffee. The imagery of smell is depicted to the reader through the pouring of a cup of coffee. After reading this, the reader is able to have a feeling of the incident that is taking place. On the other hand, the imagery of hearing is depicted to the reader when the narrator denies that he is hearing unusual voices. Despite giving false information to the inquisitive doctors, the narrator is aware that he can hear the screaming of the carton boxes.

Why does the narrator say, “We sat around collapsible tables looking very much like people stuck in a swamp—slapping at invisible things, shifting, squirming, scratching, and rubbing the flesh of our arms and our necks”?

Denis Johnson uses the narrator in this case to underscore the literary devices simile and metaphor to make his work more attractive. The narrator compares their sitting around collapsible tables to individuals wedged in a quagmire. This simile paints a disturbing image to the reader to illustrate the difficult situation the narrator is undergoing. The reader concludes that the alcoholics cannot run away from the metaphorical bog to conquer their dependence on alcohol.

What is the main theme in the novel?

Throughout the novel, it is evident that the narrator is involved in drug misuse, which emerges as the major theme. The narrator of this novel is represented as a drug aficionado whose life is utterly delimited by many problems related to drug addiction. According to the author, the narrator engages in drug addiction to run away from his struggles and problems in life. This paints a true picture of life where many people think that abusing drugs is the most absolute way to run away from their predicaments. Just like the narrator, drug addicts find themselves building castles in the air, hallucinating and daydreaming instead of engaging in productive activities. Therefore, the narrator is a bad example in the community and no parent who is wishing his child to be a drug addict.