Matthew (Matt) Kafker is completing a degree in physics at a four-year university in New England. In his free time, Matt Kafker enjoys reading. He cites David Wallace Foster as one of his favorite authors.
Foster wrote the contemporary classic Infinite Jest in 1996. The novel is set in the early 2000s in a fictionalized Boston suburb. The following recurring themes appear throughout the book:
- Addiction. Much of the novel takes place at a recovery house, and several characters exhibit addictive behaviors or tendencies. Foster also writes of addiction as a coping mechanism.
- Entertainment. The novel takes aim at the role of entertainment and media in American culture. In the book, a group of separatists plans to use a deeply engaging film to distract audiences and facilitate an overthrow of the government. This alerts readers to the destructive elements of passively consumed media.
- Freedom. Throughout the novel, Foster questions whether characters are free to choose their actions or if their experiences are the result of the choices of others. Many characters also struggle with dependency or obtaining drugs, which suggests that their freedom to choose is limited.
