Jewish People as ‘Other’ in Jacobson’s The Finkler Question
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Department of English
Abstract
Howard Jacobson's The Finkler Question depicts the Jewish people who have
been living in the United Kingdom as 'other' or the 'outsider' due to the stereotypical
gaze of the non-Jewish English origin people. These migrated jews have been
migrated long ago and have gone through a lot of cultural and racial fusion with other
community. However, the traditional stereotypical gaze to look at them is same. It has
not changed yet, and it has created the feeling of rootlessness, homelessness and
alienation among Jewish people. Through its central character Julian Treslove, the
author reveals the stereotypical gaze. He is non-Jews. However, he desperately
emphasizes the Jews. Jacobson, depicting the multicultural setting of London
composed of Jews and non-Jews, or more specifically, English Jews and English non-
Jews, clearly shows that British Jewish people have gone through a sense of
dislocation due to the stereotypical gaze of non-Jewish English people.