The Book of Lost Names

In times of great peril, a person is defined by the choices they make. Some choose great power, while others choose great love; some put their own desires first, while others sacrifice themselves for the good of humanity.

During the horrors of the Nazi reign, the massive deportation and execution of millions of innocent Jewish civilians begs the question of how members of humanity be so depraved as to participate in such activity. Although the novel does not showcase any true Nazis as characters—aside from Erich who later repents—it contains numerous civilians who choose to side with the Nazis in pursuit of personal gain. Take Madame Fontain, for instance: As a mother with two children, Fontain should sympathize with the hundreds of thousands of Jewish children facing barbaric treatment after their parents’ arrests. Instead, Fontain applauds that “they got one of [them], at least” (41) after Tatuś’s arrest, angry that the entire Traube family wasn’t swept up in the raid. In war, everyone has choices, and Fontain chooses to side with those with the most power at the time: the Nazis. However, it is her lack of personal integrity that equates her with the darkness of Nazi evil. Her hatred of Jews, which matches the Nazi mentality, overshadows her loyalty to her country and the citizens there. Similarly, when presented with the choice between his own death or the betrayal of hundreds of his friends and countrymen, Joseph chooses to send all of his former allies to their deaths in exchange for his safety. Perhaps the most interesting concept is how the choice to do what is morally corrupt visibly changes characters’ attributes and demeanor. Fontain with her “smug smile” (41) and Joseph with “fury burning in [his] eyes” (348) show no hesitation in participating, however actively or passively, in the annihilation of millions. Their personalities and features become the physical manifestations of evil, proving that evil corrupts within and without.

In contrast, the majority of characters in the novel willingly sacrifice themselves for the common good. Rémy, Eva, Père Clément, and most of the men and women of Aurignon know that their choices to help Jewish refugees could end in sadistic torture and execution, but they do so because it is the moral and humanitarian thing to do. After the Nazi raids, many of them give the ultimate sacrifice rather than betray their friends—unlike Joseph, whose decision to save himself draws condemnation and judgment. However, Joseph—and Madame Fontain, to an extent—is so judged because he capitalizes on an opportunity to seize power and control the fates of others. It is fitting that Erich is the person who kills him—Erich, who could not “ignore [his] conscience any longer” (261) and therefore turns away from power and evil to do what is morally right. Erich attains forgiveness and redemption for his action, while those who seek power do not.