Going up the down staircase all these
years has clearly kept Bel Kaufman hale and hearty. The author stood resolutely
for the duration of her discussion with our Jewish Literature class, then
returned in the evening, vibrant as ever, to celebrate the beloved Sholem
Aleichem. The Up The Down Staircase
author spoke fervently about her years as a teacher, her time as a writer, and
the teachings of her grandfather. Yes, she was affectionate, charming and
witty, however, even these adjectives seem empty beside her name. Bel Kaufman is so much more than her
amiable demeanor and sunny disposition. She has spent almost one hundred and
one years, not merely surviving, but thriving in a harsh world. Kaufman has
been triumphant.
Like her grandfather, Bel fought many
battles throughout her life; and, like her grandfather, she has faced them with
conviction, persistence and a splash of humor. The author told our class that
she was turned down time and again because of the book’s unconventional style,
yet she clung stubbornly to its epistolary format. Bel said the book would not
have been effective had it been laden with description like a classical novel.
As the author, she wanted to remain completely absent from her work. The book “needed to be a speaking
novel,” one that could represent the “gobbledygook,” and the “bureaucracy” of
the public school system.
Although Bel had commonalities with many
of the authors who visited our class, she and Erica Jong seemed most similar.
This was not just because both were dressed to the nines and donned large
Hollywood glasses (although it is perhaps the reason I began to compare them in
the first place.) Rather, it was their fearlessness and use of humor that
united the two women. Both Jong and Kaufman explore serious content but do so
in a way that compels a reader to laugh. In this way, both women seem to take
after Sholem Aleichem. Kaufman
spoke about Aleichem during both the afternoon and evening events. She called
him “a great humorist” but noted that his “subjects are not funny at all.” The
documentary Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness further illustrated her point. In times
sorrow, Aleichem chuckled. He returned time and again to laughter as a means
for survival.
Bel began her afternoon discussion with
our Jewish Lit Live class by asking how many people believed that her book was
funny. Most of us raised our hands. “Its not,” she said sternly. “Its actually
a very sad book about miscommunication.”
While the message of her book is serious, many passages within Kaufman’s
novel are so absurd one has to laugh. This is exactly the point. In her article,
At 95, Running Up The Down Staircase, Sandee
Brawarsky compares Kaufman and her grandfather simply yet aptly. The author
says, “she’s a writer like him, able to combine humor and compassion”
(Brawarsky). When Erica Jong spoke about Fear of Flying, she also discussed this
dichotomy. “When people laugh,” Jong had said, “ I hope they will laugh with
recognition.” This statement seems appropriate for the work of Kaufman and
Aleicham as well. All three authors masterfully demonstrate how humor can
overcome adversary.
It’s
no wonder Kaufman continued to teach for decades after Up The Down Staircase became a best seller. She still had (and
has!) so much to say. Her life is replete with stories, anecdotes and wisdom. Teaching
seems to run through her veins. As Brawarsky notes, “she's a great storyteller,
sharing tales in her deep voice of an engaging life.” Even now, when she has
long since left the hallways of her public school, Kauffman remains a true
educator. Teaching was never just an occupation, nor simply the premise for her
book, it’s been a facet of Bel’s being entirely. Once Bel passed her exams, she “was teaching for the rest of [her]
life.” “When I talk to you now,” Bel said, I’m still teaching.”
In perhaps the most poignant moment of our
afternoon discussion, Bel Kaufman spoke about a teacher’s immortality, stating
that “a teacher who showed you the way lives on in memory.” Wednesday night’s
documentary further emphasized this idea. Aleicham’s stories contained messages
about life, family, grief, and poverty. His tales live on, and so, he too
remains. Kaufman refers back to her grandfather often. He is a ubiquitous force
in her life, just as she claims all good teachers are on their students.
Book reviewer Garson Kanin states in a
quote appearing on the cover of Kaufman’s book, that Staircase is “pertinent useful, charming, important and utterly
adorable.” This describes both the work and the author in general. She is so
sweet and compelling that it is difficult to find fault with anything she says.
And yet, at times I found myself challenging her belief that all it takes to be
a truly great teacher is “to care.” While the sentiment is lovely, this idea
seemed awfully simplistic. Doesn’t a teacher also need a solid method and the
energy to push against an administration? This does not mean that Kaufman’s advice was
unwarranted, however. In fact, there was something deeply gratifying about
seeing the idyllic, optimistic Syl Barrett still alive in Bel.
Kaufman, like the previous four authors,
detailed the importance of empathy and the need to identify with your
characters as a writer. Her compassion springs directly from her own personal
experiences. The author discussed one Puerto Rican child who always sat
silently in the back of her class , hindered by the language barrier in the
room. Of course, Kaufman understood; she too had to adapt to a new language, a
new world and a new way of life as a child. “Been there, done that,” Bel said, smiling.
Sandee Brawarsky says that Kaufman “has
no secrets of longevity; she chalks up her energy and good health to good luck”
(Brawarsky). Personally, I think her long life is the result of her
persistence. That, and perhaps a bit of selfishness from her readers; those
desperate to hang on to the teachings of Kaufman and who refuse to seal the portal
to the world of Sholem Aleichem.
Brawarsky, Sandee. 2006. At 95, running up the down
staircase. The New York Jewish
Week,
May 05, 2006. http://search.proquest.com/docview/362520146?accountid=11243
(accessed April 24, 2012).
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