Shoot. My copy of the book is 45 minutes away, in a house with no internet. So taking this from memory…
My favorite scene in White Noise is when Babette is on T.V. Recall that noone in the family knew this prior. Jack even wonders if Babette knew it was going to happen and failed to tell them for whatever reason, or if she was as surprised that her posture/breathing class was being recorded. Either way, I suppose Babette’s answer isn’t really important. Just another question left unanswered between her and Jack.
Anyway, they’re all mesmorized to see their mother/wife on the screen. An important note is that the TV was already on. It’s always on. White Noise is always around their household, and it mostly comes from their other family member (the TV set). But when Babette appears on screen, she also becomes white noise. If I remember correctly, the book said she was staticy, fuzzy, distant. Another thing that struck me is no one turned up the volume. Seeing her on the screen was enough white noise transmission for the family. I got the feeling to turn up the volume would make the white noise overpower Babette as a person, and overpower her family as they watched her.
What I also liked was Wilder’s reaction. He stopped crying and was completely transfixed on Babette. He, out of everyone in the book, is the most observant but the less symbolic. He isn’t trying to find deeper meanings/sentimentality/connections with things that he sees, like everyone else. So I feel this scene of Babette on TV is kind of shared between two parties. Jack and the other kids are completely thrown to see Babette embody their main source of white noise, while Wilder just marvels at his mother.
I also liked this scene because as far as I can remember, this is the only time Wilder interacts with the T.V. The set is always moving, and every family member uses the T.V. and it is constantly on. Wilder is always moving around too, every family member appreciates him and moves him around, so in a sense, he is always on too. The TV produces white noise, imposes the kids to ask weird questions and respond with even more off the wall answers. Wilder produces a peace, and a desire to not even have any questions, let alone ask them.
Wilder and the TV are never together until this scene and perhaps Babette being on T.V. gives Wilder his first interaction with white noise, or perhaps Babette being on T.V. and pacifying Wilder through it lowers the level of white noise for everyone else (thus why they don’t wish to turn up the volume)