Jewish Identity and Trauma in Jonathan Safran Foer's Work “Here I Am"

Abstract

This article examines Jonathan Safran Foer's exploration of Jewish identity and trauma through his novels Everything Is Illuminated (2002), Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2005), and Here I Am (2016). Foer, a prominent American Jewish writer often associated with the third generation of Holocaust literature, intricately weaves themes of Jewish identity and historical trauma into his works. This study investigates how Foer's narratives address the transmission of Holocaust experiences across generations, the impact of contemporary traumas like 9/11, and the complex dynamics of Jewish identity within the context of American and Israeli perspectives. By analysing Foer's literary techniques and thematic concerns, this article sheds light on the challenges faced by Jewish