Themes And Writing Styles In Bernard Malamud's Novels

Literature and culture are influenced by each other. Up to now culture becomes a necessary element of the literature. Malamud concerns more about Jewish belief, history and culture. His characters show what Judaism means and his representing of the Hebraic tradition. Bernard Malamud uses the experience of Jewish people as the symbol of human tragic existence, and in his opinion, the whole Jews' encountering is an epitome of human beings' suffering. He discloses extensively the sin of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust and furthermore he points out Jews always serves as scapegoats in history. In Malamud's opinion, everyone has his own quest and must face his test. Only through this test which is always a kind of suffering, the heroes can discover and rebuild their own moral laws. Through this process, the heroes will eventually gain their spiritual renewal. And the central meaning of this moral law is responsibility and compassion for others.This thesis consists of four chapters. In the first chapter, the introduction to Bernard Malamud and his works, and the influence from Jewish history, culture, especially the anti-Semitism and the Holocaust are presented.The second chapter analyzes the themes from the moral perspective. His characters are suffering Jews who embarrass individual's quest for their identities fates and the world. Only through the test which is always a kind of suffering, can they discover their own redemption and get the spiritual renewal. In this process, the prison motif is a metaphor of Jewish people's existence.In the third chapter Malamud's writing styles are displayed. His humor is implicit, and his metaphor and symbolism inherit the essence of Jewish tradition. Malamud uses many archetypal characters in his novels. The mythical and biblical allusions combine with magic realism, so that realities change into modern myths in his stories.The final part is the conclusion.Malamud tries to indicate how history, sooner or later, affects all men, and human beings must face the suffering that Jews have experienced.