Translating Confusion

It is interesting that until now, our class hasn’t been presented with the idea of “culture shock”. A traveler, moving to a country even slightly different than one’s own, is always confronted with the same question: How do I behave in this country? Z’s experiences in Europe can all be explained by this sense of floundering, being lost in a place where everything is foreign. Somehow, in the other books we have read (except maybe heart of darkness) the main character has never quite needed help navigating their way around a new place; they have seemed to slip into the culture easily, or not even questioned the differences. What I liked about this book, was the clear sense that Z was lost. There are many ways that the reader can tell she is out of place, first because she states it herself. But even if we were not told outright, the author does a beautiful job of translating Z’s state of confusion.

What captured me and made me admire the author’s skill was the use of improper grammar throughout the book, which slowly improves. I had only once before encountered this in a book and the intent was completely different (“Everything Is Illuminated” the technique is used for humor). Although it’s frustrating to read, and the reader may wish that the grammar were better, the book would be nothing without this style. Z never learns perfect English, so why should a book written by her have good grammar? When I was in France I tried keeping a diary in French, and I’m sure it was just as laughable. What can easily escape us as English speakers is the skill that it takes to speak “correct” bad grammar. If you are fluent in English, you don’t know which words somebody from a certain language would mess up, and which ideas wouldn’t be possible to grasp. It takes an amazing amount of skill to be able to correctly mess up grammar which you know well. I am thoroughly impressed.