Hidden Gems Unexpectedly Poetic Lines Easily Overlooked (?) in Infinite Jest’s Voluminous Flow

Abstract

Although readers are more likely to dwell upon particularly funny, surprising, or disturbing moments in David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest, the novel contains many instances of breathtaking poeticism. A close reading of a few such lines, hidden gems that could easily be overlooked in the voluminous flow of the novel, demonstrates the array of linguistic variables that Wallace skilfully manipulated to create iconic reminders that moments of beauty and pleasure can be found in the most mundane, ridiculous, and/or depressing of contexts.