When We Talk About Anne Frank Humor Analysis

The horrific events of the Holocaust have served as source material for many works, both rooted in historical facts and at times on fiction. The role of humor in approaching the Holocaust posits a debate in which two sides hold beliefs on two opposite ends of a single spectrum. One side denounces portraying the Holocaust outside the realm of objectivity, claiming that doing anything otherwise misrepresents the victims and the memory of the Holocaust. Those on the other side believe that an event so absurd and terrifying posits a unique representation, one where humor is suitable. An analysis of three works containing unique and unorthodox representations of Holocaust related events and matters shows that humor is not only appropriate, it is

The couple find themselves locked in a serious conversation, playing something called the “Anne Frank game”, in which they discuss the prospect of hiding and evading a new holocaust. Before arriving to the topic of genocide, the two couples experience tension rooted in the separate paths to religion they have taken. The narrator express that “Mark and Lauren live in Jerusalem, and people from there think it gives them the right” to pass judgment on to Jews outside of Israel or who are not devout (Englander). Several debates emerge, inspired by their different life choices. The narrator’s wife Deb asks Mark “Are you saying your marriage is better than ours? Really? Just because of the rules you live by?” (Englander). It is clear that Mark sees himself as a better Jew, based on his level of religion. Upon arriving to the “Anne Frank game,” we learn that despite his sense of superiority, Mark is unwilling to hide his own wife in the event of a new genocide. Englander’s use of Anne Frank’s experience in the form of a game can be perceived as his attempt to turn the suffering of the Holocaust in to something regular and unimportant. The justification of using the Holocaust in an effort to create commentary on Jewish identity is questionable. Those who are against this portrayal of the Holocaust also point to the fact that the two

In the film The Producers, Mel Brooks shows that by ridiculing Hitler and the Nazi party, Jews can make an effort conquer and overcome their oppressors. Tova Reich’s My Holocaust uses humor to disrupt corruption and advocate a positive change in an effort to preserve the memory of the Holocaust. Nathan Englander’s “What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank” shows how humor can be used as a shield to find solace in a harsh reality. All three of these works demonstrate that humor is not only appropriate in portraying the Holocaust, it is an effective tool, with a diverse means support in addressing a difficult subject. The use of humor, and other creative representations of the Holocaust are necessary as we struggle to comprehend the tragedy and to preserve its memory. Representation of the Holocaust in new and unusual ways should not be shunned. The progression of time adds to the importance of engaging with alternative approaches to the Holocaust, so that future generations can access this critical point in history from diverse