Holocaust And Literature Essay

The relationship between the Holocaust and Literature has certainly been a useful one. The Holocaust has defined almost every Jewish writer and many non-Jews, from Saul Bellow to Jorge Semprun. Yet, there appears to be a disconnection between what they both represent- the juxtaposition between literature's inherent attention to representation and appropriation and the inalterability of the Holocaust along with our moral obligations to its memory. Academically speaking, a good literary piece innately distorts narratives and jeopardizes reality's details. However, to speak of compromising reality in the context of the Holocaust seems almost profane. The heart-rending stories of these events need no artistic elaboration.

The Holocaust literature has always been restricted to documentation and criticized for any artistic amplification, deeming it unconscionable and blasphemous. Nonetheless, it has always been recognized as a literary genre, leading critics to argue that a work's veracity atones for any literary merit. The memoir, the raw and undistorted narrative, which has been defined as the archetype of this genre, far outshines any artistic demands and embellished stories. According to Elie Wiesel, “Then, [Auschwitz] defeated culture; later, it defeated art.”

Historically, critics have openly rejected any form of artistic representation of the Holocaust. In 2002, Norman Kleebatt, curator as the Jewish Museum of New York, lead a delegation of peers in their plead to take down several works of an upcoming exhibition, “Mirroring Evil: Nazi Imagery/Recent Art,” which was said to document one of contemporary culture's most enduring themes: our fascination with facism. As the grandson of people who died in the Holocaust, witnessin...

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...and literary critic, C.S. Lewis, “Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts the our lives have already become.”

In perspective, literature complements history rather than antagonizing it. As a matter of fact, literature evokes empathy from the readers and makes stories more relatable. Through literature we are able to feel, imagine and identify with these stories, not solely learn about them. For example, Night hits the perfect emotional pitch, not only from its horrifying stories but the seemingly unplanned delivery of the facts through the use of literary tools. Above all, literature is our way of keeping these memories and events alive from one generation to another. Literature has the power to make these stories timeless and eternal.