Sol Nazerman in the Pawnbroker in Edward Term Paper

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Sol Nazerman in "The Pawnbroker"

In Edward Lewis Wallant's novel, "The Pawnbroker," Sol Nazerman is a Jewish pawnbroker who survived the World War II Nazi deathcamps, while his wife and family did not. Nazerman is an old man who has lost all faith in humanity.

His life is ruled by the haunting memories of his past and he is emotionally vacant as a result. He has a complete lack of faith in both religion and mankind at the start of the story.

Nazerman is approaching the fifteenth anniversary of his family's murder in 1943 and as the date gets nearer, he becomes increasingly detached from himself and the rest of the world. He will not acknowledge the anniversary; indeed, believing that it is not necessary to mourn, but simply to "get beyond it." (Lewis) This is one of his main goals.

In this story, Nazerman's personal relationships are strained by his attitude and past. Nazerman has an affair with Tessie, a woman who is also a Holocaust survivor. Despite her attempts to ease his pain, the relationship seems doomed, as Nazerman becomes more and more bitter and cruel. This relationship is strained by his lack of emotion and love. It is obvious that he is afraid of intimate involvement.

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Nazerman's assistant is Jesus Ortiz, a young Puerto Rican man who idolizes Nazerman and studies the art of moneymaking by watching his boss. Nazerman shows no emotion toward this man, despite the obvious admiration and devotion that Jesus has for him.

Nazerman runs a small pawnshop in Harlem, which he operates with the same lack of effort that he shows in his relationships. It seems that his work is simply a means of making a living, as he is unable to enjoy his possessions or take pride in his work. He appears to be ruled by making money, yet shows little regard for it.

Nazerman treats his desperate customers in a cruel and callous fashion, and the author describes his pawnshop as "prison-like" (Lewis). Nazerman shows no personal interest in his customers and is unable to give anything to them. His goal is to make money and survive, hoping to someday block his memories.

Despite his efforts to be unlovable, many of the people around him are sympathetic to him. They recognize his pain and are awed by the large, inscrutable Jew. A social worker tries to open up to him by speaking of her loneliness. However, he is unimpressed by her discovery that….....

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"Sol Nazerman In The Pawnbroker In Edward" (2003, January 13) Retrieved May 22, 2025, from
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