Everything Is Illuminated

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Analyzing the Literary Representation of Cultural Identity in novel Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer The novel, “Everything is Illuminated,” written by Jonathan Safran Foer is the story about a man (Jonathan), who travelled to Ukraine in search of the woman (Augustine) whom his family believes had saved the life of his grandfather from the Nazi. The novel is about the holocaust and it is in its retelling that the cultural identity of the main character was explored through delving of the past while using the present as a backdrop. The journey to the country can be considered as uneventful since Jonathan was not able to meet Augustine, the fabled and mythical woman who helped his grandfather. The novel will not be interesting if not for Jonathan’s meeting with Alexander who preferred to be called Alex who serve as his translator during his journey. The main character toured the countryside looking for Augustine accompanied by Alex and his grandfather who drives them through the country. What makes the novel interesting is the fact that it was narrated by Jonathan and Alex in different perspectives. Alex in his part narrated the story through the limited English words he knew while Jonathan narrated his using the perfect English that he is born to use and speak. The novel was able to connect the cultural identity of two individuals who grow up in different cultures and ethnic identities. The story is set in contemporary times but it contained flashbacks of the past. The past that is discussed in the story is the holocaust. The holocaust is one of the most tragic events that happened in the world’s history. "Everything is Illuminated" written about it is often narrated in a heart-wrenching manner in which Jews have to suffer inhumane treatment and cruelties. The cruelties instigated by the Nazi had resulted in the loss of thousands of

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