Reflections on Jewish nationalism, militarism and ageing masculinity in Yoram Kaniuk’s novel Scums

Abstract

This article offers a nuanced understanding of novelist Yoram Kaniuk’s national ideology as a representative of a generation, as well as unveils personal, untreated trauma as reflected in his writing. By way of doing so, it employs two research approaches: a literary speculative fiction interpretation examined through a lens of alternative history, and a cultural sociology perspective based on the concepts of ‘Imagined Communities’ and ‘Liquid Modernity’. On a broader level, his novel Scums portrays the deep disillusionment and disappointment experienced by veterans of Israel’s founding generation, who felt abandoned by their successors and betrayed by their values. On a personal level, Kaniuk’s writing reflects military flashbacks that significantly impacted his post-traumatic state of mind, which in turn influenced the way he perceived, described, and interpreted the historical fragments of his generation. Considering Kaniuk’s discomfort in discussing issues that deeply concerned him, he found solace and liberation through the medium of writing, which enabled him to express his thoughts and emotions, shouting them onto the page, unburdening himself, and making sense of his experiences. Thus, by writing in an unapologetic and candid manner, Kaniuk navigated the complexities of his inner world and external challenges, embracing his own truth and carving out a place for himself to be heard.