An Auschwitz survivor, a schizoprenic genius and a
struggling writer- these three strike up an unlikely friendship in post-World
War II America. And therein begins a tale of love, passion and frustration. Stingo struggling to find the perfect sentences and desperately seeking approval. Nathan fighting himslef- sometimes joyous and benevolent, sometimes ominous and sinister. But above all, this is the sory of Sophie, the angel who survives hell, but is burdened with the guilt of her choice. It is her story that binds them all together. It is her guilt that plays the ghost of Christmas Past.
Sophie's Choice is perhaps one of the most brilliantly written novel of the twentieth century. Balancing despair and hope it weaves a tale that encompasses all of human nature that is good, bad and evil, and lays bare the human soul. It also is perhaps one of the few novels that gives such a detailed and deatched yet soul searing look into life at a
concentration camp. Indeed, through this work the author has chosen to draw parallels between Nazi Anti-Semitism and the slave
atrocities in the American South. Another theme the author often touches upon is that despite being a tragedy of worldwide proportions, a nation not directly affected could not bring itself to imagine the magnitude of atrocity and evil. For the Americans, the war was about Pearl Harbour and Japan, but for Europe the war began much earlier, and it was all about annihilation, ethnic cleansing, and above all, survival.
Although banned from many libraries worldwide for its profanity and graphic sexuality, it is these very tools that lend realism to the characters. The author also uses symbolism from nature to enhance the mood and tone of the characters and in extension, the story. The story moves between the past and the present, and between first person and third person. Yet, it is easy to follow and captures the reader's imagination quite vividly.
An instant bestseller and also a critically acclaimed motion picture, the title 'Sophie's Choice' has lent its self to popular usage as an aid to describe a tragic choice between two unacceptable and unbearable options.