The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1956-11-29
THOMAS WOLFE

Wolfe antisemte And the irony of this that
Wolfe represented much any non-ewish writer of this
century, the the Jewish spirit its alienation
ambivaence spiritual rebrh every oasis
the way.
they enjoy today Harry Slohower wisely wrote
Thomas Wolfe's recurent lament that his life always
seemed skirt between the poles of anchored onnes and
foooose voyagngs Yet Wolfe not European exled from
his home and cultural traditions He not Jew buened by
historic Nor did he suffer material insecurity Wolfe
felt himself cosmcaly isolated did Kafka -"
HE did not want to reform the would to make it
better place to live his whole conviction that the
world was full of pleasant places enchanted places if he
could only 60 and find them"
Compare Wofes identification VebIens
observation concerning he Jew:
"A wandere in the intellectual land seeking another
place further along the road sometime the horizon
complaasant contented"
Thomas Wolfe did not ampoon Jews neither did he single
them special treatment" met" known"
single Jew Thomas Wolfe has written about they
long on the of American life especially when it is
broad the canvass Wolfe painted He spoke
herdrip "conpirace He spoke only people Luke"
one the brothers in the first novel entertans the family with
humorous stories of the schemes he employs selling
scripions to magazines Luke tells
sub saesmenHow do want, you little kike?"
Wolfe adds for be he'd Jews his employ they wor
shipped him and heM very fond of them-he liked
richness hurnor."
How hard would young Ashevlle
have picked this eerm You would rarely this
farming section of Eastern Carolina Aheve is big
resort of this part OF the county. Even the Piedmont
echaroe) this development has been fairly to follow
Most of the ansemc expressions brought
OF
Island, Westchester County, Boston, and Ohio.
This phase everyday hardly escaped
artist such Thomas man" he
wrote of of the rooming
OF course it is to detect the element of surprise in his
observation but let not forget that he did much
for his mother Wolfe spared neither family friends
neghboIs what grounds would be be expected grant
10 one OF the most interesting aspects OF his daily
life - his contact with Jews his opinions"
about Jews? He writing of middle America why
would he be expected to pull his punches Edward
love-, Abraham jones' and Samuel friedman? How much
would artist have he granted such mmuny
Indeed do not believe such Immunity desirable at ALL But
it remarkable that Wolfe deeply the
problem 1t did not him long recognize was
He spoke of Edward Mchalove" of his boyhood-
Eugene Woe thought of this young Jew years later with
the old piercing shame with the irving pain by which
recalls the revocabe cowardy
able act For only did he join the of the
ne also glad of the existence of weaker than HIM
SELF whom the flood of Idicue might directed
He forgot the he thought him
How volumes OF philosophy sociology have been
written the subject which produced than the basic
of the Infection insight which Wolfe to have
grasped in single sentene he glad the existence
Of weaker himself someone at
ridicule might be directed ;. ;"
Wolfe may pressed point inscribed
his book Ane Bernstein He had the
New York She years
became her lover
ITO Ane Bernstein my birthday present
this the first copy first book This book written be-
of her and dedicated to her. At time life
desoae and when had little myself
She brought friendship spiritual
such had before hope
of my book will find at least part worthy Of such
Thomas Wolfe Oct. g. 1929"
This classic relationship The "aenated Gentle
seeks out his desolation his fellow argnal-man, Jew
in this Jewess Wolfe like the Jew live in Time
Space but unlike the Jew he lacked
Time which the Jew uninterrupted continuity
with history The novelist understood this
rather in anger that he wrote" these WISE
weary patient paindevourng, subtieminded Jews
far "alenaed" than the Jew
Gentle who has cut himself off from 'the congregation.
Finally Germany Wolfe found home warmth and
rendness interesting parallel with the Jewish EXPERIENCED
he had to again. He among the first
recognize the primitive bestiaity Nadom and
would nct the world And in all his wandengs
this product of the Protestant South does not beay the slightest
hint that he seeking Revelation: the contrary
the driving force behind his voyagngs" in the Tai
mud
Ihe stranger that soourneth with you shall be unto you
the honeborn for sojouners in
Of Egypt