Communication and Society in Jewish American Short Stories: Isaac Bashevis Singer, Bernard Malamud, Grace Paley and Philip Roth

Examination Thesis , 2005 , 80 Pages , Grade: 2,0

American Studies - Literature

EXPOSÉ


“It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant
factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer
without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it
will be.”
(http://www.memorablequotations.com)

This quotation by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov deals with two fundamental issues of this paper: “change” and “society”. All of our protagonists will, as is one of the characteristics of the short story, be shown at a turning point effecting change in their lives. Also, I am going to concentrate on the relationship between the tales (central) characters and society. Do they need society as a point of reference, or are they leading their lives independently from and with no relationship to the culture surrounding them? Do they come from another, for example Eastern European, background? If yes, can they adapt easily, do they have difficulties adapting or do they not intend to adapt at all?

Pointing out that Isaac Asimov is Jewish and therefore potentially relevant for this paper is superfluous. Yet not every author who happens to be Jewish can automatically be significant for this paper. For me, a certain amount of “Jewishness”, that is Jewish characters, a piece of Jewish tradition, religion or the presence of a Jewish neighborhood, was required for a tale to be considered.

This restriction would still leave thousands of authors and millions of narratives. Therefore I chose to treat only New York authors and selected their stories, among other criteria, according to setting, that is, their main location had to be New York City. Hence I included Grace Paley and left out perhaps better known writers, for example Saul Bellow, who is generally associated with Chicago more than any other city. [...]

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Is Jewish American literature multicultural literature?
• Isaac Bashevis Singer
  • Biographical Notes
  • The Little Shoemakers
  • The Cafeteria
• Bernard Malamud
  • Biographical Notes
  • The Mourners
  • Benefit Performance
• Grace Paley
  • Biographical Notes
  • The Loudest Voice
  • Listening
• Philip Roth
  • Biographical Notes
  • The Conversion of the Jews

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the relationship between change and society in Jewish American short stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer, Bernard Malamud, Grace Paley, and Philip Roth. The analysis focuses on how these authors portray their characters' experiences of change and their connection to, or detachment from, the surrounding society. It investigates whether these characters are influenced by their cultural backgrounds, particularly their Eastern European heritage, and how they navigate the transition to American life. The paper also explores the complex dynamics of language and identity within the Jewish American community.

• The impact of change on individuals and their relationships with society
• The influence of cultural background and heritage on identity
• The role of language and its connection to Jewish American identity
• The representation of Jewish American experiences in short stories
• The unique atmosphere of New York City and its influence on the narratives

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter delves into the question of whether Jewish American literature can be categorized as multicultural literature, examining the shared experiences and challenges faced by various minority groups in America. It highlights the unique characteristics of Jewish American literature, including its diverse cultural backgrounds and the absence of a shared homeland, common history, or language. It also explores the complexities of language and identity within the Jewish American community, highlighting the significance of Yiddish and the challenges of writing in a mother tongue other than English.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper focuses on Jewish American literature, multiculturalism, identity, language, change, society, short stories, New York City, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Bernard Malamud, Grace Paley, and Philip Roth. Key themes include cultural adaptation, immigrant experiences, and the portrayal of Jewish American identity in a changing society.

• College: Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik)
• Grade: 2,0
• Author: Kristina Maul (Author)
• Publication Year: 2005
• Pages: 80
• Catalog Number: V40713
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638391658
• ISBN (Book): 9783638843201
• Language: English
• Tags: Communication, Society, Jewish, American, Short, Stories, Isaac, Bashevis, Singer, Bernard, Malamud, Grace, Paley, Philip, Roth