Here some notes I took while reading the novel. They are not put in categories or a specific order, just some thoughts, questions, comments or marks.
+ many words/expressions I don´t know: dub, spleen, want to carnal with me,
effervescent -> makes it hard to understand, also in style of writing+
+ did not like the style of writing in the beginning. To me it seemed like the author tried to hard using young, teenage slang
+ main character is annoying and charming at the same time
+ suddenly story changes to another story in the past (1791). Style changes aswell. So many unknown words that I loose motivation to continue reading instantly.
+ I want context! How does this story fit in the novel?
+ „theory for life and art to be reversed“ interesting
+ back in new story, but still wondering what the connection was
+ Were women not allowed in Synagoges because that would be a temptation for the men? Or just fiction?
+ nearly one whole page in capitals (always when loud speaking) hard to read.
+ again new story. 1997 letter from x to y. Exhausting this change of stories! Once you are orientated in a story, in characters and setting, you get pulled out again.
+Aha! Connection to second part. Writer of letter co-read the second story, which is in the beginning of the novel of the addressee! Like this part best.
+ „I was overwhelmed to the maximum“
+ now it all makes sense. Letter was from Alex (main character) to an American. He should translate it for him. Finally all connections are clear.
+ pedophiliac? Please not, I can´t read this.
+ This man is described so good-hearted, I cannot imagine this..
+ Ah. I misread one „great“ in great-great-great-great- great- great- mother/ father. This brings the husband/wife relationship to a father/daughter relationship. Relieved!
+ In the car on way to Lutsk. So funny, I laughed loudly on the train.
+“I´m bind, I´m supposed to be retarded.“
Archiv des Autors: gutegruppe
Jews in Eastern Europe
I found this website while looking for information on Jewish life in Eastern Europe and it’s fantastic!
If we have a look at the pictures, we might get some impression how a shtetl like Trachimbrod would have looked like.
http://www.yivoencyclopedia.org/
There are also resources which have been designed for educational use.
„Der Krieg“
When reading of the unspeakable atrocities committed by German soldiers 0n the Jewish population of Trachimbrod I had to think of two paintings.
The first is called „The War“ ; it was painted by Bavarian artist Franz von Stuck (1863-1928). It is an allegory of war sitting on a pitch-black horse, casually carrying his bloodied sword over his shoulder. His bearing provides the observer with a stark contrast between him and the mass of corpses below him. The ghastly scene is put in front of a gloomy sky; on the horizon yellow paint can be perceived as distant firelight
The second is called „This is worse.“ and belongs to a series of prints created by Francisco de Goya (1746-1828). This series was called „The Disasters of War“ and reflected on the Napoleonic invasionof Spain and the guerilla war against this occupation. The corpse of a Spanish man has been mutilated and stuck on a tree. In the background other men are massacred by Napoleonic soldiers.
Thinking of the execution scene of the Trachimbrod jews in „Everything is Illuminated“ I find it hard to believe that anyone could be so cruel and bestial. But our present situation is proving me wrong. There are wars and conflicts all over the world; at the moment the conflicts at Gaza and East Ukraine are featuring daily in the media. Is it then, how Foer lets Alex‘ grandfather say: „I am not a bad person. […] I am a good person who has lived in a bad time.“? Is it then that I am only lucky to live in a place of the world where the times are good? But is there a beast inside of me, inside of everyone of us, that – once it has been unleashed – will make me do similar things? Is there a cure?
Web Research
I had a closer look on what is there to find online about the book and the author. Inspired by the wikipedia entry, I saw that there is a lot to discover. First of all, I had a look at the trailer, after Katharina showed the outer appearence of the characters, I wanted to know, what kind of movie it would be.
Have a look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSUOYY4oukc
First thing I noted, that Jonathan was played by Frodo!! I have not seen that on the picture before. I have not seen Elijah Wood in another movie than the Lord of the Rings, and I am not sure, wether I can see Jonathan at all or only a disguised Frodo. Until now, I have only seen the trailer, so the future will tell.. The trailer is great, makes me want to watch the movie immediatly, although it does not give away to much. In my opinion, it is not typically American (I was afraid it would be, because that would not match the mood in the book), and although I expected a few things differently (the dog bigger, Jonathan older..) it seems to represent the athmosphere in the book.
The second thing I discovered is the official web page of Everything is Illuminated: http://www.whoisaugustine.com/ It is a great webspace, where you can get more information about the Ukraine, Jonathans travelroute and more photos and videoclips of Alex and his family.
I also found another publication of Jonathan Safran Foer: Eating Animals http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/coconutandmangosmoot_80089.
(Quelle: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51flAsKFoAL.jpg)
It is a critcal book on animals kept in mass stock and the medical dangers of consuming meat for the human body. I found it interesting, since Jonathan is also a vegetarian, as well as the author.
Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSUOYY4oukc
Here’s the trailer I found on youtube. What do you think about it?
Film: Everything is illuminated
During all the researches I found out that there’s also a film. I was very curious to know how the different characters got filled the roles. Here are some pictures:
Jonathan and Alex
Jonathan who ponders on his roots and the sad past of his grandfather
during the trip
I think the roles for Jonathan and Alex really fit, but I imagined the grandfather a little more fat and ugly.
grandfather Alex
Sammy Davis JR.JR.
Sammy Davis Jr.Jr. is really funny with her T-shirt
Alex
I magined Alex like that: conceited and bigmouthed, just like a hip hopper.
– Katharina Siegrist –
Who is who?
As there are many characters in the novel, I tried to describe each person for showing their relationship.
First of all there is JONATHAN, a young American who was born in 1977. Twenty years later in 1997 he wants to travel to Ukraine to find out more about his grandfather’s life. Jonathan has got a photo that shows him with a girl named Augustine who saved his grandfather from the Nazis.
Next there’s ALEX (Alexander Perchov), the guide of Jonathan during his journey to Ukraine. His English is not that good, but nevertheless he writes chapters for Jonathan’s book and they are something like penfriends. Alex dreams of a better life for his little brother and himself – just because of his father.
LITTLE IGOR is Alex’s younger brother. He’s called `the clumsy one´ because he’s always hurt.
Alex’s and Igor’s FATHER is also called Alex. He works for the traveling agency `Heritage Touring´ who organizes trips for American Jews to find out more about their past and their roots. He’s not very friendly as well to his sons. Their MOTHER is often frustrated and works at a café. But she doesn’t like her work.
Alex’s GRANDFATHER is as well called Alex. He suffers from the memories of the war. In the novel he’s described as an old, fat man with gold teeth. Recently he gave up his job at Heritage Touring. He lost his wife two years ago and since then he’s depressed. He claims that he can’t see anything so he’s got a seeing-eye dog named Sammy Davis Junior,Junior. Despite his claims that he’s blind, he drives the car for Jonathan’s trip in Ukraine.
Another name that appears in the novel is TRACHIM B. This is the legendary man after whom Trachimbord and the holiday Trachimday are named. The legend tells that it was his wagon that plunged into the Brod River in 1791. But it’s not proved if the story really happened.
YANKEL D who is formely named Safran, is the moneylender of Trachimbrod and Brod’s adoptive father. He has been left by his wife for a bureaucrat and never tells Brod that he’s not her real father. BROD is Jonathan’s great-great-great-great-great-grandmother. She is the baby from the wreckage of Trachim B’s wagon. So Yankel D adopted her. Although she marries the Kolker and their three children she is very sad and not capable to love. THE KOLKER is also known as Shalom or Safran. He wins the Trachimday contest and marries Brod. After a bad accident in the mill a saw blade stucks in his head. He often abuses Brod and after his death his body became a statue of bronze that is also a sundial and a good luck charm.
Next there’s SOFIOWKA N the landowner of Trachimbrod. He is very unfriendly and masturbates often in public. He rapes Brod and takes her virginity. But he dies the same night and was found hung on a tree.
Now it’s about Jonathan’s family again. SAFRAN is his grandfather about who he wants to find out more. He lived in Trachimbord and a woman called Augustine saved his life from the Nazis. Unfortunately, he died short after coming to America. His wife before the war, was Zosha but she died in the Nazi raid with her newborn baby. As a young man Safran had many many sexual partners.
Among there’s the GIPSY GIRL who was Safran’s lover a few years before he marries. She kills herself when the Nazis bombed Trachimbrod. And ROSE W to whom he lost his virginity. She’s a widow.
And there’s Jonathan’s GRANDMOTHER. Jonathan is scared to tell her that he booked the trip to Ukraine. He likes her very much. In those days, she escaped from Kolki before the Nazis arrived. After she walked across Europe, she met Jonathan’s grandfather in a camp for displaced persons. Afterwards they immigrated to America.
Another important person is HERSCHEL. He was the best Jewish friend of Jonathan’s grandfather. He had no family and was murdered by the Nazis after Jonathan’s grandfather identified him as a Jew.
As you see there are lots of persons in the novel. In my opinion it was not always that easy to understand the relationship. But I hope it’s a little bit clearer now.
– Katharina Siegrist –
A Picture of Jonathan, Alex, the ‘blind’ old man and the dog Sammy Davis Jr. Jr.
This is how I imagine Jonathan, Alex, the ‘blind’ old man and the dog Sammy Davis Jr. Jr. driving through Ukraine.
Please do not laugh at me. I know, I am not a good painter. I also apologize for the colours, the yellow faces really look weird 😉
– Marie-Christine Schöppl –
Poetry
First They Came for the Jews
by Martin Niemöller
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
The famous Holocaust poem “First they came for the Jews” was written by Martin Niemöller(1892-1984). He was a prominent Protestant pastor who first was a supporter of Hitler’s policies.
Although he was a national conservative, he became one of the founders of the Confessional Church, which opposed the nazification of the German Protestant churches. As a result he was arrested and confined to the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps from 1938 to 1945. After narrowly avoiding execution, he was liberated by the Allies in 1945. After his imprisonment, he expressed his deep regret about not having done enough to help the victims of the Nazis. From the 1950s on, he was a pacifist and anti-war activist.
The poem “First they came for the Jews” shows how important it is to stand up against dictators or other authorities. The Novel “Everything is Illuminated” shows a heartwarming example of moral courage. Augustine saved the life of Jonathans Grandfather in a time, where help could mean death. Even today, where at least people in Germany live peacefully, a democracy needs people who stand up and speak their mind.
I also found an updated version of the poem:
First They Came For The Muslims
by Michael R. Burch
First they came for the Muslims
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Muslim.
Then they came for the homosexuals
and I did not speak out
because I was not a homosexual.
Then they came for the feminists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a feminist.
Now when will they come for me
because I was too busy or too apathetic
to defend my sisters and brothers?
Minority groups need support and we need to remember that. Because in the end there might noone left to speak out for other people.
– Marie-Christine Schöppl –
Music that matches the atmosphere of the Novel
The Music of the Bavarian Band Django 3000 fits perfectly to the topic of the Novel “Everything is illuminated”. The band mixes Bavarian texts and Balkan rhythm and melodies. They themselves call their music “Gypsy pop”.
The Balkan music in general is different from the music from other countries. It uses a complex rhythm and they also use different instruments. Django 3000 for example uses the violin, drums and guitars. Traditional folk instruments are bagpipes, bells, accordion, fiddle and mandolin.
The novel is set in the Ukraine, where Balkan music has its home. Furthermore, the movie “Everything is illuminated” also uses Balkan music to match the atmosphere of the story. Django 3000 fits perfectly into the Soundtrack of the movie.
Soundtrack of the Movie “Everything is illuminated”
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCBFF08B800DE0EAA
Django 3000
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGD11YVaT6q6yWbSgW8r2cs9z6I3BkZE7
Homepage Django 3000
http://www.django3000.de/index.htm
– Marie-Christine Schöppl –
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