The image of Germany and the Germans in Erica Jong’s "Fear of Flying " and Walter Abish’s "How German Is It "

Table of Contents

1. Images of Germany and the Germans in American Literature from the Late 19th to the End of the 20th Century

1.1 National Images and Stereotypes in Literature

1.2 The Late 19th Century to the Turn of the 20th Century

1.3 The Country’s Changing Image through World War I and II

1.4 Postwar Germany through the Late 1990’s

2. The Depiction of Germany and the Germans in Walter Abish’s How German Is It

2.1 Displayed German Virtues and Characteristics

2.1.1 Obedience

2.1.2 Perfection and Thoroughness

2.1.3 Cleanliness and Punctuality

2.1.4 The Love of Nature

2.2 The Country’s Cultural Heritage and Past

2.2.1 ‘A Nation of Poets and Thinkers’

2.2.2 Castles, Classical Music and Art

2.2.3 National Socialism and the Holocaust

2.3 The Image of the ‘New Germany’

2.3.1 Brumholdstein and the People of the ‘New Germany’

2.3.2 Technology and Cars

2.3.3 Lifestyle and Food

3. The Depiction of Germany and the Germans in Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying

3.1 Displayed German Virtues and Characteristics

3.1.1 Cleanliness

3.1.2 The German Woman

3.1.3 Ugliness

3.2 The Country’s Cultural Heritage and Past

3.2.1 ‘Old Heidelberg’

3.2.2 Germany’s Dark Past: National Socialism and the Holocaust

3.3 The Images of Postwar Germany

3.3.1 German ‘Father Figures’

3.1.4 The German Countryside

3.3.3 Lifestyle and Food

4. The Quest for Identity in How German Is It and Fear of Flying

4.1 How German Is It: The Discovery of ‘Germanness’?

4.2 Fear of Flying: Finding One’s Own Identity Abroad

5. Summary and Conclusion

Research Objectives and Themes

This thesis examines the evolving American perception and literary representation of Germany and the German people from the late 19th century through the late 20th century, specifically analyzing how stereotypes are created, maintained, and challenged in selected works.

• The historical transformation of American images of Germany from romantic ideal to post-war antagonist.
• A detailed literary analysis of Walter Abish’s How German Is It and Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying.
• The role of "German virtues" (such as cleanliness, order, and tradition) in masking the historical trauma of the Holocaust.
• The influence of national stereotypes on the protagonists’ quests for personal and cultural identity.
• The function of literature in both perpetuating and deconstructing deep-seated cultural prejudices.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1. Images of Germany and the Germans in American Literature from the Late 19th to the End of the 20th Century: This chapter provides a historical overview of how American perceptions of Germany shifted from positive, scholarly admiration to negative, propagandized stereotypes due to political conflict.

2. The Depiction of Germany and the Germans in Walter Abish’s How German Is It: This section investigates how the novel uses traditional German virtues to establish a surface-level "ideal Germany" that ironically masks a dark, suppressed history.

3. The Depiction of Germany and the Germans in Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying: This chapter analyzes the satirical portrayal of Germany in the novel, focusing on how the protagonist’s Jewish background frames her perception of the country and its history.

4. The Quest for Identity in How German Is It and Fear of Flying: This chapter explores how the protagonists in both novels are forced to confront German stereotypes in order to better understand their own personal and cultural identities.

5. Summary and Conclusion: This final section synthesizes the findings, confirming that while images of Germany have evolved, they continue to serve as a mirror for the authors' own societal concerns and the struggle to process the Nazi past.

Keywords

Germany, American Literature, Stereotypes, Imagology, Identity, Holocaust, Walter Abish, Erica Jong, Postwar Germany, National Socialism, Cultural Heritage, Heterostereotypes, Literature Analysis, Germanness, Narrative.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research paper?

The paper explores how American literature has constructed and maintained images of Germany and the Germans, specifically focusing on how these depictions change over time due to historical and political contexts.

What are the primary thematic areas covered?

The study covers the transition of German stereotypes, the role of national virtues in masking past atrocities, and the struggle for individual identity within the context of German history.

What is the primary objective of this thesis?

The objective is to examine how the novels How German Is It and Fear of Flying use traditional stereotypes to explore German identity and the lingering shadows of the Nazi era.

What scientific methods does the author use?

The author employs literary analysis and the field of imagology, examining how historical events and cross-cultural relations influence the production of "images" of a foreign nation in fiction.

What content is included in the main body of the work?

The main body provides a historical overview of German images in American literature and conducts in-depth analyses of how Abish and Jong portray German virtues, cultural heritage, and postwar society.

Which keywords best characterize this work?

Key terms include literary imagology, national stereotypes, German identity, Walter Abish, Erica Jong, the Holocaust, and the representation of German history in fiction.

How does Abish use irony in his portrayal of German society?

Abish contrasts the superficial "perfection" and "order" of the modern city of Brumholdstein with the reality of suppressed history and concealed brutality to critique the post-war German tendency to bury the past.

What role does Jewish identity play in Erica Jong’s novel?

For the protagonist Isadora, the German environment forces a confrontation with her Jewish heritage, as common cultural sites and habits constantly remind her of the Holocaust, ultimately helping her to define herself as an independent woman and writer.