When Simulacrum Reigns Supreme: Andrei Codrescu’s Wakefield and the Utopia of Living Authentically

In Wakefield (2004), a postmodern take on what a Kerouac-inspired journey across America would reveal about the reality of contemporary times, Andrei Codrescu blends the Faustian pact with an ironic portrayal of this country’s contradictory nature, at the end of the twentieth century. While democracy serves as the cornerstone of the American Constitution, Codrescu’s novel criticizes the extreme manifestations of capitalism and globalization that have emerged within this democratic framework. The purpose of this paper is to question the possibility of authentic living within this absurd chronotope, ultimately reaching the conclusion that such an attempt equals utopia in a world which seems to follow Jean Baudrillard’s “simulacrum.” At the same time, Corin Braga’s “anarchetype” will be used as a starting point for a double argument: not only is the search for the essence of life a non-linear and never-ending journey, but metaphysical themes like deals with the devil are nowadays subject to bureaucratic deferments as well, therefore proving that everything can be deconstructed into products within a consumer-driven economy. (MB)