713Josh’s Reviews > Everything is Illuminated > Status Update

I wonder why this old woman so nice to Alex, but all of the other feild workers were rude to him? What is different about her?

Yankel and Brod do notlove each other, but I think that they have something different. They have a care for each other that is greater than anything in the world. They care about each other enough to pretend to love each other.

The relationship between Brod and Yankel is very interesting. Yankel is a sad man and even though he tries not to show Brod, I think some of his sadness carries on to Brod. Or, maybe she is sad because she might know something is up with her relationship with Yankel. I wonder if he will ever tell Brod about her real parents and that he is not her real father. I don't think he will.

This book has very peculiar sequence. First they are at the train station and now Foer and Alex are pen pals. This book is probably going to constantly shift, from the shtetl,to the adventure to the letters.

"I have to do it for myself." I think that that line would haunt Yankel forever and drive him into insanity.

So far, Alex has shown some envy of America and of Americans. I don't think that Foer will have a negetive influence on Alex's perception of Americans. Already, Alex is surprised by his appearance. Also from the letter, Foer sent the perseption that he is a writer and does not care about truth at that. Alex calls him the Hero, but he's not all that heroic. I wonder how long Alex will call Foer the Hero.

This book has very interesting characters. Alex seems like he will mature in this book. He is kind, honest and innocent, but I don't really think he has many of is own views. Through this book, I think he will start thinking for himself.

Why am I in a shtetle story? It is interesting, and I enjoy it so far, but tbis is confusing. I don't know who the narrator of this chapter is. I wonder if the rest odf the book will be about this shtetl.