White Noise

by

Don DeLillo

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on White Noise makes teaching easy.

Willie Mink (Mr. Gray) Character Analysis

The head researcher in the development of Dylar, a medication that eliminates the fear of death. He tests Babette and deems her suitable for trial treatment, but because of the dangerous side-effects of Dylar, he is soon abandoned by his research team. Nonetheless, he carries on in secret, striking an arrangement with Babette that, if she periodically visits him to have sex in his motel in Iron City, he will go on giving her Dylar. To protect Willie from harm, Babette shields his identity by calling him Mr. Gray when telling Jack about Dylar. This precaution ultimately fails, and Jack tracks Willie down in his motel in Iron City. There, Willie has become nearly incoherent and incapable of differentiating his own speech from the slogans and phrases he randomly spews during conversation, all the while taking massive amounts of Dylar. Jack shoots Willie twice in the stomach, and Willie shoots Jack in the wrist, which makes Jack come to his senses and take Willie to the hospital, saving his life after having decided—and attempted—to kill him.

Willie Mink (Mr. Gray) Quotes in White Noise

The White Noise quotes below are all either spoken by Willie Mink (Mr. Gray) or refer to Willie Mink (Mr. Gray). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Fear, Death, and Control Theme Icon
).
Chapter 39 Quotes

There was something redemptive here. Dragging him foot-first across the tile, across the medicated carpet, through the door and into the night. Something large and grand and scenic. Is it better to commit evil and attempt to balance it with an exalted act than to live a resolutely neutral life? I know I felt virtuous, I felt blood-stained and stately, dragging the badly wounded man through the dark and empty street.

Related Characters: Jack Gladney (speaker), Willie Mink (Mr. Gray)
Page Number: 299
Explanation and Analysis:
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Willie Mink (Mr. Gray) Quotes in White Noise

The White Noise quotes below are all either spoken by Willie Mink (Mr. Gray) or refer to Willie Mink (Mr. Gray). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Fear, Death, and Control Theme Icon
).
Chapter 39 Quotes

There was something redemptive here. Dragging him foot-first across the tile, across the medicated carpet, through the door and into the night. Something large and grand and scenic. Is it better to commit evil and attempt to balance it with an exalted act than to live a resolutely neutral life? I know I felt virtuous, I felt blood-stained and stately, dragging the badly wounded man through the dark and empty street.

Related Characters: Jack Gladney (speaker), Willie Mink (Mr. Gray)
Page Number: 299
Explanation and Analysis: