21 pages • 42 minutes read
Defender Of The Faith
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Themes
Jewish Identity During World War II
The impact of World War II in America was significant, especially from the point of view of different ethnic and racial minorities; scholar Edward S. Shapiro states that “[n]ever had American Jews felt more physically and psychologically secure than after World War II.” Although the after-effects of the war might have been positive for Jews, the experience of being Jewish during the war was markedly different.
Although Grossbart’s dishonesty and cowardice are shameful, his deceptions also represent a powerful sense of self-preservation. His impulse to survive is critical to the understanding of the Jewish experience during World War II. While the Holocaust was taking place, the entire Jewish ethnic and religious group was under attack; individual Jews could feel justified in doing whatever needed to be done to survive a potentially dangerous and life-threatening experience.
The Impact of War on Humanity
Sergeant Marx introduces himself at the start of the short story as a changed man, one hardened by the atrocities of war he had witnessed. As a combatant during World War II in Germany, Marx had seen and participated in acts of war that he feels has desensitized him to intense human emotions like fear, grief, and confusion.
While some might interpret Marx’s inability to resist Grossbart’s requests as a form of weakness, it actually reflects the resilience of Marx’s true humanity. Marx knows that Grossbart has a valid point when he complains about the non-kosher food and the unsupportive timing of Friday night cleaning regimens. Marx also empathizes with Grossbart’s claim to need to see family. Marx’s emotional sensitivity to Grossbart demonstrates that Marx is far from the embittered, spiritually dead soldier he imagines himself to be. Even Marx’s final move at the end of the story can be defended in this way. After all, Marx is keenly aware of Grossbart’s power and ability to survive, so Marx, ironically, trusts that Grossbart will manage to find a way home regardless of his circumstances.
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