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Chapter 7
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Everything Is Illuminated, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Storytelling and the Holocaust
Generational Trauma
Meaning and Self-Discovery
Love and Grief
Chance, Misfortune, and Luck
Summary
Analysis
In 1997, in the car that Alex’s Grandfather drives, Jonathan explains to Alex why he has come to Ukraine. He says that his grandfather, Safran, was from Trachimbrod and escaped from the Nazis with the help of a family that lived nearby. Safran’s wife and child did not escape. Jonathan has a photo of Safran with the family that saved him. On the back, the photo is dated February 21, 1943. An inscription by Safran also says, “This is me with Augustine,” seemingly referring to a girl who stands beside him.
The chapter lays out in detail exactly why Jonathan has embarked on this trip. Namely, he wants to return to the town of Trachimbrod, where his grandfather was from, which he fled to escape the Holocaust. Considering that, in the fictional world of the novel, the character Jonathan is also writing the sections of the novel that take place in Trachimbrod, those sections can then be seen as Jonathan’s attempts to better understand his family’s history and how it has impacted him.
Active
Themes
In the car, Jonathan and Alex both speculate that Safran was perhaps in love with Augustine. Jonathan then says that he wants to try to find Augustine, who would be the only person in the photo still alive. Alex assures Jonathan that they’ll find her. Jonathan then explains that his grandmother was also from a town near Trachimbrod called Kolki. She fled before World War II, but her family stayed behind, and the Nazis killed everyone in her family. Jonathan adds that during World War II, many people in Ukraine treated Jewish people horribly and were complicit in the crimes of the Nazis.
In this passage, Alex shows his commitment to finding Augustine. Notably, Alex seems to want to find Augustine primarily because he wants to help Jonathan, showing the friendship that the two are beginning to form. Jonathan then points out how people in Ukraine were complicit in the crimes of the Nazis, which underlines the fact that, in addition to the Nazis, the Nazis’ collaborators are also responsible for the atrocities of the Holocaust.
Active
Themes
Alex, his Grandfather, and Jonathan then go to a hotel. Alex tells Jonathan to remain out of sight to avoid being charged a higher rate because Jonathan is from the U.S., but Jonathan doesn’t listen. The three then go to a restaurant. Jonathan explains to Alex and Alex’s Grandfather that he is a vegetarian, which confuses Alex, his Grandfather, and the waitress at the restaurant. Eventually, though, the waitress brings Jonathan two potatoes to eat, though she puts meat on the plate as well. When one of the potatoes falls on the floor, Alex’s Grandfather picks it up and cuts it into four pieces, giving one piece to everyone, including the dog, Sammy Davis Junior, Junior. Everyone then laughs.
Over dinner, Alex talks to Jonathan about life in the U.S., and they both discuss their experiences with women. Alex, his Grandfather, and Jonathan then return to the hotel. Sammy Davis Junior, Junior wants to sleep in Jonathan’s room, but Jonathan won’t allow it because he doesn’t like dogs. After Jonathan goes to sleep, Alex and his Grandfather go to the bar in the hotel. Alex’s Grandfather says that Jonathan seems like a good person, and they should do everything they can to help him. Alex agrees. Alex then wonders what role his Grandfather might have played during World War II.
Active
Themes
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