Am kurzen Ende der Sonnenallee: A Comparison between the Novel and the Film by Thomas Brussig
Am kurzen Ende der Sonnenallee: A Novel by Thomas Brussig
Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in East Berlin during the Cold War era? How did people cope with the constant presence of the Berlin Wall, the surveillance of the Stasi, and the scarcity of goods and freedom? How did they find joy, love and meaning in their lives? If you are curious about these questions, you might want to read Am kurzen Ende der Sonnenallee (On the Shorter End of Sun Avenue), a novel by Thomas Brussig that offers a nostalgic yet ironic outlook on life in East Germany in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
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In this article, we will introduce you to this novel by providing some background information about its author, its setting, its characters, its plot, its style and its reception. We will also share our opinion on why this novel is worth reading and what it can teach us about history, culture and human nature.
The Setting of the Novel
The novel is set in East Berlin, the capital of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), a socialist state that existed from 1949 to 1990. The GDR was one of the two German states that emerged after World War II as a result of the division of Germany by the Allied powers. The GDR was allied with the Soviet Union and was part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War. The GDR was known for its authoritarian regime, its political repression, its economic difficulties and its isolation from the West.
One of the most visible symbols of this division and isolation was the Berlin Wall, a concrete barrier that separated East Berlin from West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. The wall was built by the GDR government to prevent its citizens from fleeing to the West. The wall also divided many streets, buildings and neighborhoods in Berlin. One of these streets was Sonnenallee (Sun Avenue), a boulevard that ran through both parts of Berlin. However, only a tiny piece of Sonnenallee -- about 300 meters long -- got stuck on the wrong side of the wall. This piece was called Am kurzen Ende der Sonnenallee (On the Shorter End of Sun Avenue) by its residents.
This is where most of the action in Brussig's novel takes place. The novel depicts the daily lives of a group of teenagers who live on this short end of Sonnenallee, next to the wall. They have to deal with various challenges and dangers posed by the wall, such as border guards, barbed wire, mines and dogs. They also have to face the restrictions and regulations imposed by the GDR authorities, such as censorship, propaganda, rationing and indoctrination. However, they also manage to find some happiness and fun in their situation, such as listening to forbidden music, watching smuggled movies, falling in love and dreaming of a better future.
The novel contrasts the reality of life in East Berlin with the image of life in West Berlin, which is often idealized and romanticized by the characters. They see West Berlin as a place of freedom, prosperity and opportunity, where they can enjoy things that are scarce or forbidden in the East, such as jeans, bananas, rock music and Coca-Cola. They also envy their relatives and friends who live in the West or who have managed to escape there. However, the novel also shows that life in the West is not always as perfect or glamorous as it seems, and that some people in the West have a distorted or condescending view of life in the East.
The Characters of the Novel
The novel focuses on the main character Michael "Micha" Kuppisch, a fifteen-year-old boy who lives with his parents and siblings, Sabine and Bernd, in a typical East Berlin flat on Sonnenallee. Micha is a smart, curious and sensitive boy who loves reading books and writing poems. He is also deeply in love with Miriam Sommerfeld, a beautiful girl who lives in the same building as him. Micha tries to impress Miriam with his intelligence, his humor and his courage, but he also faces some competition from other boys who are interested in her.
Miriam is one of Micha's closest friends, along with Mario Scheffler (nicknamed Wuschel), Peter Schröder (nicknamed Pommes) and Dirk Schiller (nicknamed Dschäni). They are all classmates at the same school and they share similar interests and hobbies. Wuschel is a rebellious and adventurous boy who loves listening to rock music from the West, especially the Rolling Stones. He often risks his life by trying to get illegal records or tapes from across the wall. Pommes is a shy and loyal boy who has a crush on Sabine, Micha's sister. He is also obsessed with soccer and supports Dynamo Berlin, the most successful team in the GDR. Dschäni is a funny and optimistic boy who likes making jokes and pranks. He is also good at imitating celebrities and politicians.
Another important character in the novel is Uncle Heinz, Micha's uncle from West Berlin. He is a wealthy and successful businessman who often visits his relatives in the East. He brings them gifts and treats that are hard to find or afford in the East, such as chocolates, magazines, toys and clothes. He also tells them stories and jokes about life in the West. However, Uncle Heinz also has a patronizing and pitying attitude towards his East German family. He thinks that they are living in misery and oppression, and that they need his help and advice. He also tries to persuade them to move to the West with him.
The novel also features many other characters who play minor roles or appear briefly in some episodes. These include Micha's parents, who are loyal but disillusioned citizens of the GDR; Micha's teachers, who try to educate him according to the socialist ideology; Micha's neighbors, who have different opinions and experiences of life in East Berlin; Micha's rivals, who try to sabotage his relationship with Miriam; Micha's idols, such as John Lennon , Mick Jagger , Erich Honecker , Karl May , Bertolt Brecht , Heinrich von Kleist , etc.
The Plot of the Novel
The novel consists of 16 chapters that narrate different events and episodes in Micha's life on Sonnenallee. The chapters are not arranged chronologically or logically, but rather randomly and episodically. The novel does not have a clear beginning or ending, nor a main conflict or resolution. It is more like a collection of anecdotes, memories and impressions that give a glimpse into Micha's world.
Some of the episodes that are described in the novel are: - Micha's first encounter with Miriam at a school dance, where he falls in love with her at first sight. - Micha's attempt to write a love letter to Miriam with the help of his friends, which ends up being intercepted by a border guard. - Micha's visit to his uncle Heinz in West Berlin, where he experiences culture shock and envy. - Micha's birthday party at his flat, where he receives various gifts from his family and friends. - Micha's participation in a school trip to Poland , where he meets some Polish girls and learns about their culture. - Micha's friendship with a Vietnamese guest worker who teaches him some words and phrases in Vietnamese. - Micha's discovery of a secret tunnel under the wall that leads to a West Berlin nightclub, where he meets a famous singer and a sheikh. - Micha's confrontation with a Stasi agent who tries to recruit him as an informant. - Micha's graduation from school and his decision to join the army with his friends. - Micha's final reunion with Miriam at the wall, where they declare their love for each other and kiss. The novel ends with a scene that shows Micha and Miriam as adults in the reunited Germany, walking along Sonnenallee with their children. The Style of the Novel
The novel is written in a comic and ironic tone that reflects the author's intention to portray life in East Germany as a mixture of tragedy and comedy. The novel uses humor, satire and parody to criticize the East German regime and society, but also to celebrate the resilience and creativity of its people. The novel mocks the absurdity and hypocrisy of the socialist ideology, the propaganda and the censorship that pervaded every aspect of life in the GDR. The novel also ridicules the stereotypes and prejudices that existed between East and West Germans, as well as between Germans and other nationalities.
The novel is full of intertextual references to pop culture and literature, both from the East and the West. The novel shows how music, movies, books and magazines were important sources of entertainment and inspiration for the East German youth, who often had to resort to illegal or clandestine ways to obtain them. The novel also shows how these cultural products influenced their identity, their values and their aspirations. The novel mentions many artists and works that were popular or relevant in the 1970s and 1980s, such as John Lennon , Mick Jagger , Erich Honecker , Karl May , Bertolt Brecht , Heinrich von Kleist , etc.
The Reception of the Novel
The novel was published in 1999, shortly before the corresponding film Sonnenallee , which was also written by Brussig. The film was directed by Leander Haußmann and starred Alexander Scheer , Alexander Beyer , Robert Stadlober , Teresa Weißbach , Katharina Thalbach , Henry Hübchen , etc. The film was a commercial success, attracting more than 2.6 million viewers in Germany. However, it also received some criticism for its portrayal of life in East Germany as too nostalgic, romanticized or trivialized.
The novel received mixed reviews from critics and readers. Some praised it for its humor, its originality and its insight into a historical period that was often overlooked or misunderstood. Some also appreciated it for its contribution to the genre of Ostalgie , a term that refers to a nostalgic or ironic attitude towards life in East Germany after reunification. However, some also criticized it for its lack of realism, its superficiality and its lack of depth. Some also accused it of being too similar or inferior to other novels by Brussig or other East German writers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Am kurzen Ende der Sonnenallee is a novel by Thomas Brussig that tells the story of Micha Kuppisch, a teenager who lives on Sonnenallee, a street that was divided by the Berlin Wall in East Berlin in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The novel depicts Micha's daily life, his love for Miriam, his friendship with his mates, his relationship with his family and his uncle from the West, his encounters with the border guards and the Stasi, his involvement in school activities and his dreams of a better future.
The novel is written in a comic and ironic tone that uses humor, satire and parody to criticize the East German regime and society, but also to celebrate the resilience and creativity of its people. The novel is full of intertextual references to pop culture and literature, both from the East and the West. The novel shows how music, movies, books and magazines were important sources of entertainment and inspiration for the East German youth.
The novel was published in 1999, shortly before the corresponding film Sonnenallee, which was also written by Brussig. The film was a commercial success, but it also received some criticism for its portrayal of life in East Germany as too nostalgic, romanticized or trivialized. The novel received mixed reviews from critics and readers. Some praised it for its humor, its originality and its insight into a historical period that was often overlooked or misunderstood. Some also appreciated it for its contribution to the genre of Ostalgie. However, some also criticized it for its lack of realism, its superficiality and its lack of depth. Some also accused it of being too similar or inferior to other novels by Brussig or other East German writers.
In our opinion, the novel is worth reading because it offers a different and interesting perspective on life in East Germany that is not often found in other sources or media. The novel is not meant to be a realistic or comprehensive account of life in East Germany, but rather a personal and subjective one that reflects the author's own experiences and memories. The novel is not meant to be a serious or political statement, but rather a humorous and ironic one that reflects the author's own attitude and style. The novel is not meant to be a definitive or authoritative work, but rather a creative and original one that reflects the author's own talent and imagination.
We recommend this novel to readers who are interested in learning more about life in East Germany, who enjoy comic and ironic stories, who appreciate intertextual references to pop culture and literature, and who are open to different and diverse voices and perspectives.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the novel and their answers:
- Q: What does the title of the novel mean? - A: The title of the novel means On the Shorter End of Sun Avenue. It refers to the short piece of Sonnenallee, a street in Berlin that was divided by the Berlin Wall, where most of the action in the novel takes place. - Q: Who is Thomas Brussig and what are his other works? - A: Thomas Brussig is a German writer who was born in 1965 in East Berlin. He is known for his novels that deal with life in East Germany, such as Helden wie wir (Heroes Like Us), Leben bis Männer (Living Until Men), Wie es leuchtet (How It Shines), etc. - Q: What is Ostalgie and how does it relate to the novel? - A: Ostalgie is a term that refers to a nostalgic or ironic attitude towards life in East Germany after reunification. It is often expressed through the consumption or display of products, symbols or memories from the former GDR. The novel can be seen as an example of Ostalgie, as it portrays life in East Germany in a humorous and nostalgic way. - Q: What are some of the differences between the novel and the film Sonnenallee? - A: Some of the differences between the novel and the film Sonnenallee are: - The novel is more episodic and random than the film, which has a more linear and coherent plot. - The novel is more focused on Micha's love for Miriam than the film, which gives more attention to Micha's friends and their hobbies. - The novel is more critical and sarcastic than the film, which is more sentimental and romantic. - The novel has more intertextual references than the film, which has more visual gags and jokes. - Q: What are some of the themes and messages of the novel? - A: Some of the themes and messages of the novel are: - The importance of friendship, love and family in times of hardship and oppression. - The power of music, art and literature as sources of entertainment, inspiration and resistance. - The contrast and conflict between East and West, between reality and fantasy, between conformity and rebellion. - The absurdity and hypocrisy of the socialist ideology, the propaganda and the censorship in East Germany. - The resilience and creativity of the East German people who managed to find joy, fun and meaning in their lives. 71b2f0854b