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An American Golem: Comic Books, Creation, And The Virtue Of Escape In Michael Chabon’S The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay, Mary Mcallister
An American Golem: Comic Books, Creation, And The Virtue Of Escape In Michael Chabon’S The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay, Mary Mcallister
Senior Honors Theses
This thesis examines Michael Chabon’s defense of escapist stories as manifested in his Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (2000). Through this work, Chabon traces the history of escapist stories and superheroes in Judaism through the anthropomorphic figure of Jewish folklore, the golem. Chabon explores the ways in which the creation of a golem overlaps with the creation of a comic book. Additionally, Chabon shows the ability of escapist stories—those that allow the reader to leave reality and enter into fantasy—to facilitate healing from deep emotional wounds. This healing is demonstrated through the journey …