is absent. Novelist and critic Joshua Ferris points out that "in a town like Blacksmith, the small midwestern university town of White Noise, the rites and rituals of traditional religion, such as church, bible study, and signs for Jesus, are expected". However, God is largely absent in this suburb. He adds, "The absence of religion is obvious, and places the novel in an entirely non-spiritual, post-Christian world. In White Noise, not even Catholic nuns believe in God." However, Professor Majeed Jadwe countered with, "White Noise begins and ends with a ritual. The first is the convoy of station wagons arriving for the new school year, which Jack describes as an event which he has not missed in 21 years. It ends with the public ritual of self-hood perfection." Professor Jadwe implies that although religion is not presented in the book, the concept of ritual is still present. The society portrayed in White Noise utilizes ritual in other areas such as Jack never missing the convoy. The world of White Noise is still obsessed with ritual despite the absence of religion. Associate Director of Language and Writing, Christopher S. Glover, agreed by stating, "Just after the nun tells Jack that there exists nothing worth believing in and that anyone who does believe in something is a fool, DeLillo dangles this event in front of us, daring us to believe in something—anything—by using religious buzzwords such as 'mystical,' 'exalted,' and 'profound' but countering those words with others like 'lame-brained.'" In his interview with the Paris Review's Adam Begley, Don DeLillo stated the religious aspect employed in White Noise by stating that the paranoia of the characters operates as a form of religious awe. He added that "[religion] is something old, a leftover from some forgotten part of the soul. And the intelligence agencies that create and service this paranoia are not interesting to me as spy handlers or masters of espionage. They represent old mysteries and fascinations, ineffable things. Central intelligence. They're like churches that hold the final secrets." Don DeLillo claims "Religion has not been a major element in my work, and for some years now I think the true American religion has been 'the American People.'" Cultural references The band The Airborne Toxic Event took their name from the novel. Interpol released a single, "The Heinrich Maneuver," the title of which is an apparent reference to Jack's son. The 2023