The Search for a Primary Source

Friday 10/5/07: At meeting with Ms. Bates, I decided that I will most likely use a piece of literature as my primary source. I have many options, but so far, my favorite idea has been a collection of short stories by an Israeli author named Etgar Keret.

"15 minute auditions":
1) "The Nimrod Flipout" by Etgar Keret is a collection of short stories by an Israeli author. It presents a plethora of topics in significant depth because it explores not only the conflicts of Israeli society, but also the conflicts of human nature in general. Surprisingly, Keret does not examine conflagrations of Israelis and Arabs as much as he describes the Israeli mentality. His presentation of the mandatory service requirement's effect on Israeli society demonstrates how the fighting mentality has pervaded Israeli society. However, many of his characters are disillusioned with the army and rebel against its strictures. While Israelis stereotypically accept their army service with patriotic gusto, Keret creates characters that simply don't care for nationalism.
Another patterned theme of Keret's stories is his vilification of the Israeli hi-tech industry. In Israel, hi-tech is the highest grossing aspect of the economy. Yet all of Keret's businessmen are missing something, whether it be in their marriages, friendships, or with life in general. As a part of my paper, I would explore the social implications of the Israeli business world as presented by Keret.
Finally, Keret's stories encompass many of the far-reaching implications of the Holocaust on Israeli society. Some of his characters feel inundated with Holocaust memorializing and lost sight of the tragedy. Other facets of his stories explore the subtle dichotomy of perspectives on the Holocaust between Jews from eastern Europe and those from the middle east. When survivors from Europe first emigrated to Israel after WWII, many of the Jews already there regarded them as backbone-less cowards who submitted themselves like "sheep to slaughter" to the Nazis. These Middle Eastern Jews, who were pioneering the Kibbutz concept, had the self-image of staunchly independent, fiery nationalists. This ideology contrasted with the emaciated, sullen survivors who were beginning to arrive in Israel.

After explaining this primary source, I have realized the bevy of themes and patterns I have to choose from with this topic. However some these ideas, especially the Holocaust theme, are featured more prominently in another work of Keret's short stories, "The Bus Driver who Thought He was God." I will definitely use both of these sources in my paper. Nevertheless, I will still keep an eye out for other topics (not necessarily literary) that would be interesting primary sources for this paper. The Starbucks example particularly fascinated me, especially since I have always thought the ubiquitous, pseudo-trendy set-up of a Starbucks to be silly and contrived. If I do not have a better idea by the end of the weekend (10/15/07), I will stick my Israeli society topic.

**Ms. Bates: Sorry for posting after the due date. I did not see this assignment on the blog because ensuing assignments "buried" it on the webpage, and I did not read telesis close enough.