JEWISH/CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM in BERNARD MALAMUD's NOVEL GOD's GRACE

JEWISH/CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM IN BERNARD MALAMUD'S NOVEL GOD's GRACE Pirjo Ahokas University of Turku I All the protagonists from Roy Hobbs in Ma- lamud's first novel The Natural (1952) to Calvin Besides being one of the major American Cohn in his last completed novel God's Grace authors of the postwar period, Bernard Mala- (1982)4 are concerned with the search both for a mud is also one of the leading representatives of new identity and for individual and social re- contemporary Jewish-American fiction. Born a sponsibility. Moreover, the changes within and second-generation New York Jew, he belongs to between Malamud's novels are always related to the newly incorporated group of ethnic writers the oscillations and shifting tensions between of Jewish descent who, in Leslie Fiedler's oft- these two major themes. Much of the success in quoted words, discovered "their much vaunted the author's best work stems from his ability to alienation to be their passport into the heart of reconcile the moral imperatives of man's obli- Gentile American culture."' Sustained by the gation to his fellow man with the identity theme, two traditions, Malamud's fiction both tran- which in the course of his own development as a scends the author's own ethnic and cultural ori- writer, becomes an increasingly conscious paral- gin and yet remains distinct from classic Ameri- lel to his own search for an authentic artistic self. can literature. In many ways, his situation — The ethnic aspects of Malamud's fiction are even today — illustrates a tendency which Isaac subordinated to his two major themes and they Rosenfeld calls "the outsider's paradox."' By usually provide vital links between them. The virtue of standing a little aside, Malamud — like author always develops the themes of individual several other prominent Jewish-American writers and social responsibility with the help of an who have risen to a central position in American underlying moral construct which links spiritual literature since World War II — has become a growth, the precondition of a positive new ident- perfect insider who enjoys the critical advantage ity, to productive suffering. Malamud's work is which, according to Rosenfeld, allows minority also characterized by a strong and consistent authors "to observe much that is hidden to the tendency to connect human suffering with Jew- more accustomed native eye."3 ishness. Thus, the assimilation and integration More daring and more innovative than most of the positive value of productive suffering into of the major American writers of the immediate a fictional hero's psyche ultimately leads to the post-war generation, Malamud has been open to internalization of the Jewish code of Mensch- influences and challenges that have made his ca- lichkeit, the Jewish ethic concerned with mutual reer exceptionally varied and intriguing. Despite responsibility. the different degrees of formal experimentation As Josephine Zadovsky Knopp points out, and some audacious changes in subject matter, Malamud has stressed the importance of the the thematic continuity of Malamud's novels has Menschlichkeit code to the creative writer as remained largely unbroken. The author's focus well.' In one of his earliest public statements the is always on the protagonists, who serve as the author said: "The purpose of the writer... is to emotional and rhetorical constructs that Mala- keep civilization from destroying itself."6 Al- mud uses as the vehicles of his repeated attempts though all fiction by Malamud is consistent with to reconcile self and society. his intensely humanistic assumptions, the words 84 gain new urgency when they are looked at in the characterized by such a high degree of zany hu- light of God's Grace, a complex fantasy about a mour that many readers may find the novel hard single human survivor and his animal compan- to take. ions set in the near future after a nuclear war in One way to look at the book and its plot is to which the easily identifiable "Djanks and classify it as a Robinson Crusoe story. Mala- Druzhkies" have killed themselves. mud's palaeontologist is saved from the nuclear ca- Meant as a prophetic warning by the author,7 tastrophe because he happens to be observing the the book describes the protagonist's attempts to sea floor in a submersile when the destruction appease God so that He would renew His coven- takes place. Together with the tame chimp that ant. After having recovered from radiation ill- he finds in the oceanography vessel Cohn is ness Cohn, a former palaeontologist, begins to ex- beached on an uninhabited island, and — like plore the possibility of establishing a good so- Defoe's practical hero and his numerous literary ciety based on equality and mutual respect to- followers — he soon enough learns how to culti- gether with the surviving apes that inhabit a vate and enjoy the fruitfulness of the new en- tropical island incidentally discovered by the vironment. Faithful to his symbolical first name shipwrecked protagonist. Inspired by his initial Malamud's protagonist even shares some of his success among the collaborative animals Cohn devout predecessor's religiosity. The great and makes grandiose plans for a totally new age, but decisive difference, however, lies in the fact that his ruin is precipitated by the hubris and utter in contrast to the traditional Robinson figures lack of self-knowledge that undermine the best of Malamud's shipwrecked hero is fully aware that his intentions. his stay on the island can come to an end any The novel is filled with literary references and time. biblical symbolism that mainly draws on Genesis Malamud's narrative style also limits the use- and on the apocalyptic tradition fused with el- fulness of this line of comparison. Instead of ements of Messianism. In the followings pages, I only painstakingly striving after the minuteness shall briefly discuss the genre problem of God's of realistic verisimilitude God's Grace at times Grace by outlining some of its background in even parodies Defoe's conscientious devotion to contemporary American fiction and then ana- details and presents itself as a tragicomedy that lyse the meaning and effect of Malamud's use of challenges the wildest imaginings. The most dar- Jewish/Christian symbolism in the shaping of ing creation in the author's cast of actors in the central themes of the novel. In some of his Cohn's personal divine comedy in reverse is the earlier work Malamud uses Christian symbolism Master of the Universe, the invisible Lord, "light to enhance the valuable aspects of the Jewish from which voice extruded; no sign of God- inheritance. Even if the author's skilful inter- crown, silverbeard, peering eye" (GG 6). In the twining of the different strands of biblical sym- opening chapter that Robert Alter calls "a bra- bolism in God's Grace hints at the familiar poten- vura performance"8 the short-tempered Lord tial for Jewish-Christian symbiosis, the novel as addresses Cohn through a crack in a bulbous a whole is marked by deep scepticism. Malamud black cloud saying that He has lost His patience, comments on the thoughts of Cohn on learning because mankind, after receiving the gift of life, that Buz, an experimental chimpanzee capable has destroyed the world and then themselves. of human speech, has been Christianized: "He Since Cohn's survival is only an oversight, his thought that if one of them was Christian and reprieve will not last long: the other a Jew, Cohn's Island would never be Paradise" (GG54). Yet because of my error, I will grant you time to compose yourself, make your peace. Therefore live quick- ly — a few breaths and go your way. Beyond that lies II nothing for you. These are my words. (GG 6) When God's Grace was published, it received Placing the book in the American tradition very mixed reviews and the novel is likely to seems to provide a more useful way of ap- remain one of Malamud's most controversial proaching Malamud's central themes and the books. Part of the audience's puzzlement derives religious symbolism that shapes them in God's from the fact that with its grotesque characters Grace. There are at least two major literary con- and strange events God's Grace seems to defy texts that make the novel appear more engaging. definition. The first chapters in particular are Alan Lelchuk writes in his review: 85 There are in this novel moments of lucid beauty be- The naming issue has further consequences. side moments of harrowing blackness — Eden and Apoc- Emulating Cohn Buz goes ahead and names the alypse between two covers.' five new chimpanzees that he encounters in the island garden of Eden. He calls a brutal chim- To my mind much of the vitality of God's panzee who tries to pretend to be a big and Grace that culminates in a new version of the strong gorilla Esau. Like his namesake in the biblical Akedah derives from its bold combina- legends of the Jews, the hedonistic chimp places tion of the old myth of the American as a new the earthly life of material pleasures above every- Adam with the American preoccupation with thing else and persists in pursuing his evil in- the apocalypse. clinations in spite of Cohn's attempts to incul- The Adamic ideal that reflects the American cate in him the rudiments of responsible behav- faith in progress in the New World emerged as a iour. The name given by Buz is also a bad omen leading national myth from the 1820's onwards. for Saul of Tarsus: together with his twin brother It optimistically stressed a divinely granted sec- Luke he becomes one of Esau's most faithful ond chance for mankind, which, naturally, elic- supporters and a hater of Cohn.

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