For the Relief of Unbearable Urges | Characters
Pinchas, the protagonist of "The Twenty-seventh Man," is the vehicle for two of Englander's most important themes, the compulsion to write and the calming force of tradition. Pinchas is condemned to death for his eccentricity. Though he never publishes a word, he spends all his days isolated in a room, writing. The authorities suspect that he intends to dismantle the Communist regime with these writings. In fact, his motive is purely self-serving: he loves to write. In fact, he has a compulsion to write that, in his last days, becomes his only solace. For Pinchas, writing is a tradition,...
[The entire page is 552 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Tell a friend about For the Relief of Unbearable Urges at eNotes.
