The Book of Lost Names

From beginning to end, the novel explores the dangerous ramifications of denial from both a micro and macro perspective. Tatuś and other Jews’ denial of numerous warnings leads to their arrest and persecution in Auschwitz and other concentration camps. Mamusia’s denial of Tatuś’s probable death creates a divide between her and Eva and places the majority of the guilt on her daughter’s shoulders. The world’s self-imposed blindfolds lead to German atrocities until the major powers enter the war. The choices made by all parties, large and small, capitalize on this denial and cause immense suffering along the way.

Those who study the timeline of German occupation know that many Jewish people could not comprehend the depths of Nazi evil, leading to their dismissal of warnings and eyewitness testimony. Because of this, millions of men and women found themselves with no place to run and no time to get there. Tatuś sees these events unfolding: His employment as a typewriter repairman is compromised due to Germans “systematically remov[ing] Jews from society” (10), yet his response to Joseph’s warning about impending arrests is “it’s not possible” (12). After his arrest and detainment at Auschwitz, Mamusia’s continued denial of his death and her insistence that Eva is abandoning her family drives an irreparable wedge between the two of them; however correct Mamusia’s premonitions might have been, her refusal to accept reality tarnishes her relationship with her daughter.

The term “church” takes on two meanings depending on capitalization. The “Church,” as a symbolic entity, represents a unified body of believers who operate under their faith in God and work together to spread his Word. The “church” itself is a physical location—the walls, floor, and roof that make up a house of worship. Both forms of the word symbolically resonate in the novel.

Eva, Rémy, and the rest of the resistance fighters are part of a world at war under the shroud of religious differences, and yet their Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish faiths do not separate them but unite them. If the war is comprised of Nazis versus Jews, then the resistance is comprised of God’s children working in unison against evil incarnate, despite their theological differences. In this manner, the “Church” is a motley crew of differing faiths who do not let the preconceived divides between their scriptures interfere with their pursuit of what is morally right.

In addition, churches are often used as safe houses in the novel. They are places of physical and spiritual respite regardless of faith affiliation. They house Jewish children, resistance fighters, and forgers, and therefore the “church” itself fulfills its physical obligation: to provide a place of God’s love. There is also a cloak of protection over churches, as Père Clément mentions at the end of the novel: “I have to believe that even a Nazi would have second thoughts about killing a Catholic priest in cold blood” (329).

Forged identities work as a double motif in this novel. Literally speaking, the physical documents that Eva, Rémy, and Genevieve forge are concrete ways in which Eva can fight against her oppressor. These pieces of paper demonstrate Eva’s intelligence, savviness, and bravery. They are tools to get people safe out of the hands of the Nazis, and therefore they are symbols of freedom. These forgeries add an often-untold layer of the story of World War II.

Furthermore, the forged identities are metaphorical. Eva and most of the people around her take on false identities, a survival tactic that is psychologically unnerving. To shed one’s past self and take on the name and history of another person is difficult. For example, the Jewish children who will be reborn in Switzerland as Catholic French children highlights the complex nature of identity. The children must give up a part of themselves to survive, but sometimes a sacrifice of self is too much. The stressful toll new identities place on people is evident in Mamusia’s struggle with her new situation. While Eva is relieved to hide herself behind a façade, Mamusia had hopes and dreams for her world that included staying true to herself, her religion, her culture, and her past. Mamusia withdraws into a deep depression due to this loss of self.