If Not Now, When?: Analysis of Major Characters
"If Not Now, When?" explores the complexities of human relationships and survival during a tumultuous historical period through its major characters. Mendel, a Jewish watch mender and partisan, grapples with the loss of his wife and the destruction of his village, while navigating the harsh realities of anti-Semitism and warfare. Leonid, a young Red Army deserter, embodies the struggles of a youth tired of conflict, yearning for peace yet consumed by love and jealousy. Line, a determined young woman with strong socialist and feminist ideals, captivates both Mendel and Leonid, further complicating their intertwined fates.
The narrative also features Gedaleh, a hopeful and passionate partisan leader, and Dov, a pragmatic community chief longing for peace away from war’s chaos. Bella, Gedaleh's companion, provides a maternal presence amidst the turmoil, while Pavel and Piotr add depth with their unique backgrounds and motivations. Sissl offers a contrasting relationship with Mendel, highlighting themes of desire and emotional conflict. Together, these characters illustrate the profound impacts of war on personal connections and moral dilemmas, reflecting the broader struggles faced in their shared experiences.
If Not Now, When?: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Primo Levi
First published: Se non ora, quando?, 1982 (English translation, 1985)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Russia, Poland, and Italy
Plot: Adventure
Time: 1943–1945
Menachem Nachmanovich Dajcher, called Mendel, a twenty-eight-year-old Jewish watch mender, artilleryman, and partisan. After becoming detached from his Red Army unit, Mendel lives simply and reclusively in the woods, joining first with Leonid and then with various bands of partisan fighters. He is a patient and honest man who broods uncomprehendingly over the brutal murder of his wife and the wholesale destruction of his village. His experiences have made him sensitive to the ubiquitous anti-Semitism of wartime Europe. For his knowledge of Jewish tradition and his wisdom regarding people and war, Mendel is respected by fellow partisans and is consulted on major decisions. He has an innate sense of responsibility for his actions, and he thinks that his intimacy with Line is to blame for Leonid's death.
Leonid, a nineteen-year-old Red Army deserter and escaped prisoner of war. An educated Muscovite Jew who has been a bookkeeper, a thief, and a paratrooper, Leonid is tired of war and longs for peace. He is a moody young man charged with sadness, silent and trustworthy but susceptible to insolence and evasiveness. When a mission excites him, however, he commits himself to it passionately, even rashly. He grows dependent on his love for Line and is consumed with anger and jealousy when she drops him for Mendel. Leonid is killed in a foolishly dangerous move during an attack on a German Lager in Poland.
Emmeline, most often called Line, a young Jewish woman in the partisan band. Line is small and slight, with dark eyes and surprising strength. She is a serious and intense fighter who holds strong socialist, feminist, and Zionist convictions. Wise and clear-sighted, she is intriguing to others: Leonid becomes her devoted lover, and Mendel is haunted by her power and beauty until he, too, seeks her out. He realizes that he will never fully know her.
Gedaleh Skidler, a twenty-seven-year-old Jewish partisan leader. Gedaleh is a good-humored, vital, and impulsive soldier and tactician who acts freely, according to the exigencies of each new moment. Tall and thin, he is never seen without his violin, which once saved his life by deflecting a bullet and which he plays frequently and with complete joy. Gedaleh knows that the Gedalists'prospects for survival are bleak, but he never loses hope or his ability to make quick, strong decisions in his band's best interests.
Dov Yavor, the chief of the Jewish partisan community whom Mendel and Leonid encounter at Novoselki. Middle-aged and prematurely graying, Dov is a precise and hard-headed leader who has been weathered by war and riddled with lingering injuries. Unlike the other Jewish partisans, who hope someday to begin new lives in Palestine, Dov longs only to return to his native Siberian village, far from the turmoil and threat of war. Once the Gedalists are overcome by the advancing Red Army in Germany, his wish is granted.
Bella, Gedaleh's companion. Bella is close to forty years old, a thin little blond who no longer participates in battle. She is critical, bossy, lazy, and slow-witted, but she brings a much-needed maternal presence to the partisan band, and Gedaleh finds her to be an ideal mate.
Pavel Yurevich Levinski, a proud Russian Jew from the Novoselki community. Pavel has bushy dark hair, a deep voice, and an athletic appearance, and he exhibits a tacit impunity in all he does. A former weight lifter, actor, and radio announcer, he loves telling stories and thrives on attention. His linguistic and theatrical skills help ensure the success of numerous partisan plots and activities.
Piotr Fomich, a deputy in Ulybin's band who leads the Jewish partisans to Ulybin at Turov. Piotr is lighthearted and innocent, and he takes an immediate liking to Mendel. Although not Jewish, he chooses to leave Ulybin and join the Gedalists, and he stays with them, ironically, because of his deep faith in Christ.
Sissl, a woman in the Jewish partisan band. Sissl is sturdy, mature, calm, and trustworthy, but lacking in beauty and mystery. Mendel takes her as a lover, though she in no way thrills him. He eventually leaves her for Line.
Osip Ivanovich Ulybin, the thirty-year-old chief of a band of Russian partisans that will not take on the Novoselki survivors. Ulybin is a dark, muscular man, a stern and coldhearted military tactician whose formidable authority is undermined only by suspicions of his alcoholism.