The Cattle Car Complex By Thane Rosenbaum

Don’t let the clay dry out
Humanity has a collective memory, events that we all know of. We learn about these events in school, or through the conversations and stories we share with one another. But as those who experienced these memories first hand begin to pass, we are forced to attempt to keep these memories alive in a way that is true to the actual events. These memories become clay, moldable, changeable. The way we handle the clay changes it forever. This is why there is such an importance to the way things are taught. Because if the clay is handled wrong, the perception of our collective memory will never be the same. If an important event is degenerated to the point where it is only dates and numbers, the meaning is lost. This dilapidated

version of the event that was once so important, has now lost all emotion, all ability for empathy, and all importance. But how are we supposed to keep all of these elements alive in our memories without those who experienced this event present, so as to relay the true occurrence? To give insight to the true emotion? This is extremely hard to do, but it is necessary, and it is very possible.

This task was taken on by Thane Rosenbaum, in his short story “the Cattle Car Complex,” and he was remarkably successful. Interestingly, “the Cattle Car Complex” is a story about the holocaust, but does not highlight the life of a holocaust survivor. In “the Cattle Car Complex,” a man named Adam, the son of two holocaust survivors, gets stuck in an elevator, and because of his background, he reacts in a way you would not expect from someone who themselves did not experience the holocaust first hand. Adam panics, and through this panic is brought back to the heinous

events experienced by his parents. This, and through the use of figurative language, is how Thane Rosenbaum gets across the emotion, and very important message, to generations that may not have a full understanding of the events of the holocaust.

The strongest window to the theme of “the Cattle Car complex” is a quote saying, “The Holocaust fades like a painting exposed to too much sun.” (Rosenbaum, 5) When a painting is exposed to sunlight, the colors begin to fade. In most paintings, the color adds to the message being portrayed in the painting. When a painting uses darker tones, the message is dark. When this detail is faded, the entire meaning of the painting is changed. In this quote, the holocaust is being compared to this, and similarly, when the occurrences of the holocaust are told in a way that trivializes them, the message of the event is changed, or no longer present. We trivialize the events of the holocaust by stripping it of important elements until all that is left are dates and numbers. This belittling of the information destroys the meaning, and takes away lessons we are left with after something like the holocaust. The importance is stripped from the event. This is why it is necessary that while teaching of the holocaust the important elements are not taken away.
Another quote that gives

way to the theme speaks of indifference saying, “…a hideous Anne Frank, trotted out only occasionally as metaphorical mirror, reminding those of what was once done under the black eye of indifference.” (Rosenbaum, 5) Anne Frank represents the holocaust, as she is one of the more well know people who experienced it, and she is described in this as hideous because there is hardly any other way of describing the holocaust that give justice to its harrowing events. Trotting out occasionally means that it is brought up infrequently, and is not represented well, hence the term trotting, meaning to stumble. The holocaust is not talked about often, and when it is spoken of, it is in a way that strips it of emotion. This is because such an event is considered to tragic to be spoken of, but in actuality, “We should speak of it often. We should speak of it loudly… Not to think about these things is to betray the dead. Not to speak of these things is to dishonor them.” (Pierce, 1-2) the holocaust is considered an event that is widely known as terrible, but it should not be left at that, because not enough people know in detail why it is horrible. They know vaguely what happened, but they don’t understand fully the events of such a tragic time. This is because of the way we talk about the holocaust, and how infrequently we speak of it. Continuing with the quote, the metaphorical mirror is meant to represent a reflection of the impact the holocaust has today. This is similar to the “episode” Adam has in the elevator, which gives an idea as to how the holocaust still effects people in the present. The next portion of the quote saying “…What was once done under the black eye of indifference,” is showing how we hide our insouciance, because when someone has a black eye, they keep it hidden. Additionally, if this black eye is seen, the other person may ask about it, but if they don’t investigate past the injured persons words, which could quite possibly be a lie, it shows at least a slight indifference to that persons wellbeing. This connects back to the holocaust, because many people show such apathy. One of the effects of inadequately teaching the events of the holocaust is causing indifference to its horrors. This indifference is criticized throughout the story, through the character of an Irish security guard. When the holocaust is brought up the Irishman says, “ah, the holycost; a terrible thing, dat.” (Rosenbaum, 10) His reply to this topic is meant to seem caring, but in actuality it is very indifferent to the event. This tone is used similarly when someone experiences the death of a loved one. Those around this person who are unaffected may give condolences, but because they are unaffected, they do not actually care. They are just giving a polite, and automatic, response to the other person’s pain, in most cases not feeling at all as empathetic as they may seem. This is a way someone hides their indifference, and it is very similar to the indifference held by many towards the holocaust.
Another element being criticized in “the Cattle Car Complex,” is the fluidity of ones morals. Although people like to think their values and beliefs are concrete, in actuality, they are very fluid, changing whenever expedient. This is expressed by the quote, “…conveniently gymnastic ethical values, bending and mutating with the slightest change of financial weather.”(Rosenbaum, 4) In context to the story, this quote is referring to the values of those such as lawyers being changeable by money. This is one of the elements of current life being criticized in “the Cattle Car Complex,” and although this might not seem so, it can be connected back to the theme of the story. No one wants to believe they are indifferent to an event such as the holocaust, but when it is convenient to be, one may find themselves caring very little about such a horrific event. This is again due to the way events such as this are taught, and because of that, we are able to care very little. This fluidity to our morals and outlooks is a large part of the theme in “the Cattle Car Complex.”
Another thing being brought to the light by Rosenbaum is the connection between the past and the present. This connection is one of the key reasons the teaching of the past in a way that maintains its message is so important. This is represented in a quote, Rosenbaum saying, “The umbilical connection between the unmurdered and the long buried.” (Rosenbaum, 6) This can be interpreted to express the connection between those who experienced a traumatic event, and their children, and even those simply not directly affected. Or, in context to the story, the connection from Adam to his parents. This is seen through the use of the word umbilical, which is meant to represent that parental bond. The phrase “unmurdered and the long departed,” the unmurdered being those not directly affected by the holocaust or such events, and the long buried being those having been figuratively murdered by the experiences they endured during these times. This shows how connected the past and the present are, and this connection is only as strong as the collective remembrance of the event. This connection allows for humanity to learn from the past to better the future, and keeps those who were affected by these times alive. This is why it is so important that we are able to teach future generations about these occurrences in a way that keeps intact the connection necessary to learn from and understand them.
This connection of past to present continues to be expressed in “the Cattle Car Complex,” in a quote saying, “Parental reminiscences had become the genetic material that was to be passed on by survivors to their children.” (Rosenbaum, 5) this is strongly representing this connection, saying the experiences, and effects of such, get past down from parent to child just as a gene for blue eyes, or brown hair would. This connection is not only represented in these uses of figurative language, but throughout the text, in the way Adam negatively reacts to the enclosed space of the elevator. Again, this connection between the past and present throughout the text shows the importance of the way in which we educate later generations of the occurrences of the past, and also draws attention to how well Rosenbaum did so in this short story. Rosenbaum was able to express the emotional element of the holocaust necessary to portray the message, in a way that can be understood by generations unaffected directly.
Through this use of figurative language and storytelling, Rosenbaum is able to portray the importance in the way we teach future generations of event such as the holocaust. He also is able to express why this is so important, and criticize the way we speak and think of events such as this. “The Cattle Car Complex,” and texts similar in their ability to relay the importance of such events, are allowing for this connection from past to present to be strengthened. Because the way we teach such events is what determines our ability to learn from them, and how strong this connection is, it is very important we don’t strip the meaning and emotion out of these lessons. We have to be able to express the truth behind the events, regardless if we were there, so as to remember those who were, and to learn from them. We can’t morph the clay in a way that completely changes, or destroys the meaning behind the final image, and we also can’t allow the clay to dry out, and crack. We have to do events such as this justice so as to stay true to what actually happened, and allow for the collective memory of these events to true.