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Jonathan Safran Foer

Decent Essays

Historical context and comedic elements often are perceived to be terms that do not usually go hand in hand when it comes to literary works. However, authors like Jonathan Safran Foer have attempted to seamlessly piece these concepts together through works like Everything is Illuminated, which combines the story of a young man who travels back to Ukraine in search of his ancestors with the history of the Holocaust. Writers who attempt to address or incorporate the Holocaust into their stories are faced with a divide between “the relatively comfortable Jewish American present” and “the dark European past” (Belham 56). Although some might criticize Foer for his usage of slapstick and comedy with such tragic events, the stark contrast of his dark …show more content…

Alex’s introduction of himself is exemplifies all of the above and then some by asserting “My legal name is Alexander Perchov” but my friends call me Alex because “that is a more flaccid-to utter version” (Foer 1). From the very beginning of the novel, Alex finds it difficult to see why a Jew would pay money to his dad’s business to travel from wonderful countries like “America to the Ukraine” and thinks that Jews had “shit between their brains” for doing so ( Foer 3). His choice of vocabulary and juxtaposition of words are key factors behind his comic in the novel. For instance, his substitution of the word bored with boring or his usage of the word “bitch” instead of dog. However his lack of exposure to different cultures and people is what truly brings out his blunt personality and allows readers to switch from gut wrenching humor to heart breaking sadness. A prime example of his naivety would be when Grandfather and Alex discover that Jonathan does not eat “meat” and considers him to be crazy rather than believe that he is a “vegetarian’ (Foer 65). While this is seemingly a hilarious conversation between the three, readers begin to see a strain in the relationship between Jonathan, Alex, and Grandfather. Especially when the waitress asks to see Jonathan’s horns after she finds out that he is Jewish from Alex, who calls Jonathan out for being Non-American because of his own personal egotistical problems. This exposes a divide between the Ukrainians and the Jews and their claims of superiority to one another which is still existent today in modern times. Jonathan’s interactions with those around him in Ukraine, just like the waitress, reveals the aftermath of Holocaust in regards to labeling Jews with titles and specific traits. These small actions create a bigger picture that can reflect the tension between other European countries

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