Levoy, Miron - Alan and Naomi

Levoy, Miron – Alan and Naomi

Alan and Naomi is Levoy’s most successful novel so far. It has won many international awards both in the US and in Europa. It has also been turned into a play which was staged in many German theatres in 1989.

The roman “Alan and Naomi” reflects the situation of the minorities in New York during the bloody Second World War. Naomi is a symbol for the millions of the Jews have been suffering and should have changing their own characters. Their living-conditions are in this time very bad that’s why there are people who want to support them. Alan is somebody who belongs in this group of the supporters.

This novel is about a friendship developing between the main figurs “Alan and Naomi”. The book refers to a real story taking place in 1940s. That is its special feature therefore the story was filmed in 1992.

Alan Silverman, an eleven-years old boy, is not a different person in his own age group. He likes making sports, especially stickball is his favorite game.(Stickball: game similar to baseball played on city streets). Besides he is interested in creating model planes and has them flew, with his best friend, a Catholic, Shaun Kelly. Like his other friends he doesn’t love the girls and finds them stupid. Naomi and Mrs.Kirschenbaum went through plenty getting out of France during the Second World War and Naomi called “Crazy Cat” was interrupted psychologically. Under pressure of his parents Alan accepts to help Naomi. But he cannot come in contact with Naomi easily. At first, he tries talking with her with his dummies, Yvette and Charlie. Although it’s as if he is speaking to an empty room, slowly Naomi gives reactions and gives up tearing the papers, her biggest habit. Alan likes caring somebody and gives up to play only with boys. However he is afraid of them and he isn’t able to admit, that he spends his time with a girl needing trust, instead of playing stickball or making model planes, which are the major activities of the boys. This secret friendship continues until Naomi goes to school with Alan. The schooldays make them more closer to each other and they begin to share their secrets.One day Naomi tells Alan, how her father was killed by the Nazis. Her father was a spy and he was preparing important maps for the enemies of Germany. But he was found by Geheime Staatspolizei and was murdered. Naomi wasn’t able to tear the maps prepared by his father, that’s why she feels herself guilty.

On a Friday morning Joe Condello, a bully hated by Alan and his friends, threats them unplesantly and mocks at them and their religion. Alan fights with him on the schoolway. When Naomi sees the fight and the blood , she runs away. Shaun Kelly saves Alan from Joe Condello, but Naomi is missing. After a long searching of the police Naomi is found under a layer of coal. Her mind is completely disappeared and she doesn’t show any reactions. So, Alan is not able to bring Naomi to the real life, he fails and he feels lonely.

The Outline of the Relationship between two friends

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The victory is empty with Naomi’s missing

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SUGGESTIONS:

It is useful to read this novel, because you are informed about the real events taking place during the bloody Second World War years. The style of the writer is emotional, informative and suggestive, therefore you should never be bored. The relations between the reasons and the results are very strong, consequently you have not got any questions in your mind.It is a realistic book and it has many educational aims.