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Book Review by Ida Nasatir
Whisper My Name by Burke
Davis
May 12 1950—Ida Nasatir book reviews—Whisper
My Name by Burke
Davis—Southwestern Jewish Press, page 9: Of late, both in novels
and in the movies, the theme of whether a Negro or a Jew can, by hiding his
identity, find a place for himself in society and inner happiness, has been
dramatically presented. Thus, Lost Boundaries and Pinky in
the movies and writings like Jo Sinclair's Wasteland and Davis' Whisper
My Name deal with this problem of escaping from one's heritage of race and
religion. All of these stories deal with the question of a man's or a woman's
loyalty to his or her people. Does he have a moral right to escape? And if he
does manage to escape, does he prove himself a more worthy citizen, a finer type
of human being? Indeed, can he escape. In spite of every
precaution, did Dan Gordon in the novel, Whisper My Name, alias Daniel
Goldstein, formerly of Philadelphia, now of Elizabeth, N.C., formerly a Jew of
immigrant Jewish parents, now a member of the First Baptist Church—did Dan
Gordon find peace and happiness? Always inside himself was the haunting
gnawing fear: "What if they knew that I was a Jew?" For twenty
years he lived in Elizabeth, won a fortune for himself, brought unhappiness to
Katie whom he loved, and to Lucy whom he married. Finally, he discovered the
truth. The people in the town knew it all the time, they knew that he was a Jew.
He discovered that they liked him for himself. There was no need for his
pretense, of his quite obvious self-hatred, and equal hatred for his fellow
Jews. It is true that Dan Gordon is far from being a type of Jew who brings
distinction or honor to his people. But in posing the question as to the ethical
problem involved in a person denying his spiritual heritage, he has, in a way,
helped both Jew and Negro (through the tragic struggles of the Negro, Bud
Wilkerson, who also seeks to hide his racial identity) to clarify and bring into
the open, the issues involved. Unfortunately, the author leaves the reader in
doubt, even as Dan Gordon is in doubt, with the qustion on his lips: "God,
What am I going to do?"
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