The Portage to San Cristóbal of A. H.: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Portage to San Cristóbal of A. H." presents a thought-provoking narrative centered on the figure of Adolf Hitler, who is depicted living in the Amazon rainforest in his nineties. The story explores the dynamics between Hitler and a team tasked with capturing him, revealing how he regains strength while the captors become increasingly worn down. Key characters include Emmanuel Lieber, a Holocaust survivor driven by a personal mission to avenge Hitler's atrocities; Dr. Nikolai Maximovitch Gruzdev, a conflicted former medical examiner with a troubled past related to Hitler's death; and Gideon Benasseraf, a Jewish leader grappling with the implications of capturing Hitler versus killing him. Other notable figures include Marvin Crownbacker, an ambitious CIA agent, and Sir Evelyn Ryder, a historian concerned about his legacy in light of Hitler's return. The narrative delves into themes of morality, history, and the psychological effects of confronting an iconic villain. As the characters navigate their complicated motivations and relationships, the story raises profound questions about justice, memory, and the legacy of trauma.
The Portage to San Cristóbal of A. H.: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: George Steiner
First published: 1979
Genre: Novel
Locale: The Amazonian jungle of Brazil
Plot: Philosophical
Time: The late 1970's
Adolf Hitler, the former leader of Germany, in his nineties and living in the Amazonian rain forest. Frail looking and barely able to speak when the Israeli Capture Team first apprehends him, he gains strength almost imperceptibly as the story progresses. As the men weaken and begin to die, Hitler becomes stronger and begins to offer suggestions and then orders on how to avoid the dangers of the jungle. By the end of the novel, he has completely regained his powerful oratorical ability, to such a degree that none of the remaining team is able to silence him or respond satisfactorily to his casuistic arguments. By the time the mysterious helicopters appear in the final scene, the team members are mute with exhaustion and confusion.
Emmanuel Lieber, a survivor of the Holocaust, an inveterate Nazi hunter and organizer of the team to capture Hitler. Lieber is the self-appointed agent to avenge Hitler's crimes against the Jews. With his incredible religious learning, he is metaphorically rearranging the sacred Hebrew texts for the demise of Hitler to be entered into them. Both historian and prophet, he views Hitler as the final enemy of the Jewish people and is in a state of visionary gratitude that Hitler has been found.
Dr. Nikolai Maximovitch Gruzdev, a physician and former medical examiner at the time of Hitler's presumed death. A man in his late sixties who is still smarting from eight years in a Siberian prison, he is terrified when called on to review his earlier findings as the one who performed the autopsy on Hitler's charred body. His initial report was that the body was not Hitler's but that of a double. After much pressure, though, he changed his report, stating that the body was Hitler's. Thirty years later, his superiors want him to revert to his first finding, which leaves the case open for a revisionist interpretation.
Dr. Gervinus Roethling, a government lawyer for the Federal Republic of Germany. A highly successful lawyer and a member of the German upper class, he has been instructed by his superiors to look into what international problems might arise if Hitler actually were alive and well.
Marvin Crownbacker, an American agent for the Central Intelligence Agency, in his late twenties. A maverick agent trying to impress his superiors with his decisive action in the Hitler affair, he attempts to coerce the radio monitor, Kulken, into giving him the information first so that the Americans can decide the fate of Hitler before any other country can act.
Sir Evelyn Ryder, a professor of history at a prestigious English university. He has written the authoritative book on the last days of Hitler in the bunker. He is keenly interested in how a living Hitler will affect his scholarly reputation and with what the sequel to his earlier work will be.
Gideon Benasseraf, the leader of the Israeli Capture Team. A scholarly man who lost his wife and two daughters in the Holocaust, he becomes a model for the four younger members of the team and, ironically, proposes that they capture Hitler and abandon him in a hotel lobby somewhere. Killing Hitler would draw a line historically and would constitute a closure to the horrors of the Holocaust. To be a Jew, he says, is to keep Hitler alive and thus to keep the issue alive forever. He dies of malaria before Hitler is delivered.
Rodriguiz Kulken, a radio monitor hired by Lieber to follow the trail of the team. He thinks that they are hunting for Martin Bormann and is severely shaken when he discovers that they have found Hitler.
Teku, an Indian guide who trails the team and reports back to some mysterious source. He objectively narrates the terrible difficulties that the team experiences and wants to intervene. He is fascinated with the growing stature of the ancient Hitler as he gradually becomes more active.
Simeon, Isaac Amsel, Elie Barach, and John Asher, highly energized young Israelis who carry Hitler out of the forest and provide the stamina for the journey.