The Broom of the System

The Broom of the System is the first novel by the American writer David Foster Wallace. Published in 1987, the book centers on the emotionally challenged Lenore Stonecipher Beadsman, a 24-year-old telephone switchboard operator who has issues about whether or not she's real. In Wallace's typically offbeat style, Lenore navigates three separate crises: her great-grandmother's escape from a nursing home, a neurotic boyfriend, and a suddenly vocal p... more

The Broom of the System is the first novel by the American writer David Foster Wallace. Published in 1987, the book centers on the emotionally challenged Lenore Stonecipher Beadsman, a 24-year-old telephone switchboard operator who has issues about whether or not she's real. In Wallace's typically offbeat style, Lenore navigates three separate crises: her great-grandmother's escape from a nursing home, a neurotic boyfriend, and a suddenly vocal pet cockatiel. The controlling idea surrounding all of these crises are the use of words and symbols to define a person. To further convey this idea, Wallace uses different formats to convey the story, including the transcripts from television recordings and therapy sessions, as well as an accompanying fictional account written by one of the main characters, Rick Vigorous. Wallace stated that the initial idea for the novel sprang from a remark made by an old girlfriend. According to Wallace, she said "...she would rather be a character in a... less