Infinite Jest

Infinite Jest

by

David Foster Wallace

B.U. Term Analysis

Boston University, where Orin attends college.
Get the entire Infinite Jest LitChart as a printable PDF.
Infinite Jest PDF

B.U. Term Timeline in Infinite Jest

The timeline below shows where the term B.U. appears in Infinite Jest. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 38
Talent, Precociousness, and Fame Theme Icon
Institutional Control vs. Rebellion Theme Icon
...to come back easily. With Avril and Uncle Charles’s help, Orin agreed to play for B.U.’s tennis team and secured a full ride with added benefits. (full context)
Talent, Precociousness, and Fame Theme Icon
Addiction, Mental Illness, and Suicide Theme Icon
Institutional Control vs. Rebellion Theme Icon
...grief. Earlier in his college career, Orin had decided not to play competitive tennis at B.U. after all, and instead, during his freshman year, made the “unlikely” switch to competitive football.... (full context)
Talent, Precociousness, and Fame Theme Icon
Institutional Control vs. Rebellion Theme Icon
...to switch to football to be closer to her, a decision that greatly upset the B.U. tennis coach. Yet his tryouts for the football team were “too pathetic to describe.” However,... (full context)
Chapter 74
Addiction, Mental Illness, and Suicide Theme Icon
...Year’s Eve, Gately was making fake IDs for boarding school students when he watched a B.U. football game and unexpectedly began to sob like a child. Eventually, he fell in with... (full context)