Post by mccoyxyz on Jan 26, 2011 9:15:29 GMT -5
Looking overall at the two books I've seen set in that era, "Meshugah" and "Shadows on the Hudson", certain patterns emerge in the characters.
Rich or poor, they behave in the same erratic manner, at the drop of a hat radically rushing off in different directions. It does not seem to matter whether a person is a 20 year US resident, smart enough or lucky enough to have gotten out; or a Holocaust survivor. All act goofy.
The only apparent difference (to me anyhow, I'm sure a Lit major would jump all over me), is the Holocaust survivors tend to carry around rather large secrets.
Curiously enough, when these secrets do come crashing out of the closet, it doesn't seem to get in the way of friendships or relationships.
Which leads to several questions.
Was the whole WW2 era sort of insane?
Was the stress of immigrating to the USA greater than or equal to Holocaust stress?
Were the 20 year immigrants in fact stuck in a sort of limbo part way between the camp survivors and the old and established Jewish set?
The mere fact the Jewish establishment of the day was so deadset against Singer is clear evidence he was hitting the target accurately. If he were wildly out in left field, there wouldn't be all the denunciation, more the sort of indulgent condescension given to stand up comics playing a hotel dining room in the Catskills, that is accepting that exaggeration is a form of humor.
I'm left with the feeling overall that my life (in comparison) is blah, boring and normal, which is kind of a nice feeling. Perhaps some of you would get the same reaction.
Rich or poor, they behave in the same erratic manner, at the drop of a hat radically rushing off in different directions. It does not seem to matter whether a person is a 20 year US resident, smart enough or lucky enough to have gotten out; or a Holocaust survivor. All act goofy.
The only apparent difference (to me anyhow, I'm sure a Lit major would jump all over me), is the Holocaust survivors tend to carry around rather large secrets.
Curiously enough, when these secrets do come crashing out of the closet, it doesn't seem to get in the way of friendships or relationships.
Which leads to several questions.
Was the whole WW2 era sort of insane?
Was the stress of immigrating to the USA greater than or equal to Holocaust stress?
Were the 20 year immigrants in fact stuck in a sort of limbo part way between the camp survivors and the old and established Jewish set?
The mere fact the Jewish establishment of the day was so deadset against Singer is clear evidence he was hitting the target accurately. If he were wildly out in left field, there wouldn't be all the denunciation, more the sort of indulgent condescension given to stand up comics playing a hotel dining room in the Catskills, that is accepting that exaggeration is a form of humor.
I'm left with the feeling overall that my life (in comparison) is blah, boring and normal, which is kind of a nice feeling. Perhaps some of you would get the same reaction.