David Grossman's New Novel Explores Guilt, Shame, and Identity
David Grossman's latest novel, "Where Are You Words," centers on Yaron, a young man recounting his family's story, particularly his father's conviction for fraud. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of two fundamental systems: the nuclear family and the legal system, highlighting themes of guilt and the struggle for survival through language and writing. The father, Yosef Chaim Ashkenazi, is sentenced to sixteen years in prison, a judgment he vehemently denies, shouting "I wasn't there" to his son. This denial marks an attempt at erasure, with writing becoming the only means of escape from a devastating verdict.
The novel also introduces the theme of homosexuality, which becomes a significant, albeit controversial, element. Yaron's father catches him with another boy, Elias, and reacts with violence, linking passion with severe consequences, shame, and self-loathing. Grossman's work is compared to Franz Kafka's, particularly "The Metamorphosis" and "In the Penal Colony," for its depiction of characters trapped within inescapable systems. The father's self-imposed judgment mirrors Kafka's characters facing oppressive legalistic machinery.
"Where Are You Words" is described as a novella, with its primary setting being the courtroom where the father fights for his innocence and later, the execution of his sentence. A secondary setting is the father's prison cell, where communication with the courtroom occurs via Zoom. The narrative structure, with Yaron recounting events from multiple perspectives, offers a unique illumination of the story. Despite moments of tenderness, reminiscent of Grossman's children's books, the novella largely offers little solace from its bleak world, leaving characters grappling with overwhelming guilt and shame.
The title itself, "Where Are You Words," evokes a profound anxiety about the power and potential absence of language. References to literary figures like A.B. Yehoshua, Haim Nachman Bialik, and S.Y. Agnon, along with the father's name referencing Y.H. Brenner, underscore the idea that survival in Grossman's world is nearly impossible without the protective shield of books and words. The novel is deemed a must-read, offering a complex exploration of human experience, though it may require multiple readings to fully appreciate its depth.
