In the section in which Grandfather tells Alex and Jonathan
about Herschel, I think it’s interesting to think about the two ways in which
the story is conveyed. Grandfather tells Alex the story, but that is not the
same story that Jonathan hears. Alex has to translate everything before
Jonathan can understand it. They’re receiving two different versions of the
story—Alex is receiving it first hand, and Jonathan is receiving a version that
is colored by Alex’s view of his grandfather as he is translating. Grandfather
seems like a different person through Alex, one more connected to his emotions.
For example, in the big block of text at the end (the one set off by parentheticals,
in which we hear how Herschel died), the man we see is very different than the
one who says at the end (not translated) “And now…we must make sleep” (252).
Does Jonathan receive a better version/truer version of the story, or does
Alex?
I think the idea of how things change and get lost in translation is a really cool and interesting thought. In some ways translation can change a lot, such as with Borges and his use of maze and labyrinth. For, Borges only uses one word to describe both; however, when it is translated both words comes up and for us it changed the meaning of the entire story, allowing us to read farther into it. In contrast Amichai is just as beautiful in translation as I assume he would be in hebrew. However, we still don't know what is lost.
ReplyDeleteLanguage is a funny thing and how it changes and alters do to translation is quite fascinating. This is just yet another example of the limitations of language.
To add about this emotional section- I thought the style of writing JSF used was interesting...the whole story was written without paragraph breaks, and some words were blended together. When reading the passage everything blurs together in one rapid motion- which is probably how Grandfather was dictating the story- quickly and emotionally. We as readers get more insight to his emotions while telling the story through JSF's writing style.
ReplyDeleteAnd in addition, the writing style used when Grandfather is recounting the horrors of the murder of his friend is very similar to the style used when Lista is recounting her equally horrific experience with the Nazis
ReplyDelete