Why Where the Wild Things Are is Maurice Sendak’s most Jewish story #books #childhood #grief
Unpacked
Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" is deeply intertwined with his Jewish heritage and personal experiences, particularly themes of fear, loss, survival, and the immigrant experience. Although not explicitly Jewish in content, the story reflects the struggles and emotional complexities that resonate with Jewish history and identity. Sendak's storytelling delves into the collective memory of trauma, reminiscent of his own family's losses during the Holocaust, crafting a narrative that underscores themes of grief, resilience, and the power of imagination as a form of escape and self-discovery.