Trivialization of the Holocaust? The Elements of Pop Culture in Holocaust Fiction and Film
This article examines changes in the representation of the Holocaust/Shoah in literature and film over the past few decades. Several scientists use the term “Americanization” of the Holocaust, declaring this topic was simplified by American and Western popular culture (Lawrence Langer, Michael Rothberg). In contrast to that, other scholars express a different opinion (Ernst van Alphen, Leszek Engelking). According to them, these elements can evoke emotional imagination and lead to engagement with the shocking past.
The article analyzes the works of various authors and argues that using pop culture components and devices can lead to trivialization (Arnošt Lustig and his late novels) but, on the other hand, also to enrichment and renewed interest in the topic of the Shoah (Igor Ostachowicz and his provocative novel Night of the Living Jews).
Pop culture elements have become a typical literature feature in the last few decades. They extend the creative possibilities for speaking about the Holocaust while raising many problematic questions. Second and third-generation artists and writers use a variety of pop culture methods to respond to the increasing forgetfulness of history. These books may sometimes appear trivial, but their poetics can appeal to younger generations for whom the Holocaust represents the distant past.
