Traveling to a different country also brings about some form of culture shock, whether it be from misunderstood hand gestures or a dog who won't stop humping you in the backseat of your translator's car. All right, a randy dog is more of an Alex thing than a Ukrainian thing, but that doesn't mean that Jonathan Safran Foer (the character) doesn't encounter more cultural differences during his time in the Ukraine, like a lack of vegetarianism, people being really proud about their coffee, and the fact that no one there seems to have seen a Jew before. Culture shock runs both ways.
Questions About Tradition and Customs
- What surprises Jonathan most about the Ukraine? Or does anything seem to surprise him?
- What cultural differences does Alex have trouble understanding about Jonathan? Do they eventually bridge the cultural divide?
- How the shtetl's culture in Jonathan's half of the story similar to modern-day Ukrainian culture? How is it different?