Essay Questions

Why is Jacques Austerlitz struggling with an identity crisis?

Jacques is the protagonist of this story and he is facing an identity crisis because he has an inexplicable past. He is sent to Britain as a child refugee in the year 1939. During this time, Germany is under the Nazi regime and many people are killed and others run away to other countries as refugees. While in Britain, Jacques is adopted by an elderly couple but they later die. When he grows up, he still does not know who his biological parents are. Similarly, he does not know whether he has siblings. Therefore, he wants to do everything possible to get information about his parents because this will play a vital role in shaping his identity.

How is viciousness one of the main themes in the Austerlitz by Winfred Georg Sebald?

Austerlitz is a victim of violence because he is among the survivors of World War II. As a child, he witnessed the brutal killing of his parents and other people in the concentration camps. As an adult, Austerlitz finds that the memories of war are still fresh in his mind and he can remember everything that took place. He has suffered a lot and he is currently anguishing from an identity crisis because of the viciousness of World War II.

Why is Jacques Austerlitz keen on doing research and studying history?

Jacques has an interest in history because he wants to understand what happened during the war and what caused it. He is also keen on learning what were the compelling reasons that forced the Nazi regime to kill many people including his own parents. Since Jacques wants to find answers to these questions, he finds it necessary to do research and study history. Additionally, he wants to document his findings so that other people who are in his situation can find answers to their questions.