Der Mugrdechian Speaks on Genocide Theme in Literature

Andrew Esguerra
Staff Writer

Putting a catastrophe into words is a monumental challenge. The Armenian Genocide nearly led to the physical and intellectual extinction of the Armenian people. Its systematic and sadistic destruction of life left the first generation of Armenian writers who lived through the tragedy too scarred to even put their experience on paper.

The week of April 24th was one filled with activities commemorating the Armenian Genocide at Fresno State. On campus, the memorial events concluded with a lecture given by Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program, on Wednesday, April 27th. This lecture, “Genocide as a Theme in Armenian-American Literature,” was the second of a two part lecture series given by Prof. Der Mugrdechian this semester. On February 23rd he spoke on “Armenian-American Literature: The First Generation.” Both lectures were given in conjunction with the Kazan Visiting Professorship series

Most of us try to keep the memory alive of the great injustice done to the Armenian people between the years 1915 and 1923; however, survivors who had escaped to America often remained silent about what they had witnessed and suffered, at the most subtly hinting to it in their writings. It was not until the later generations of Armenian-Americans writers, the children and grandchildren of the survivors who had escaped to the United States, that the stories and the theme of genocide arose in Armenian-American literature. Unlike their parents who were born into an Armenian identity, the latter generations either felt the conflict between their new American identity and their Armenian heritage or tried to shed the Armenian identity to better acculturate into American society. Early in the twentieth century American society had pushed ethnic groups to blend into the dominant culture.

The 1960s presented the next major step for sharing the experience of the Genocide with the world. As ethnic pride grew concurrently with the social changes at the time, the third generation reasserted the memory of the Genocide. They took the family histories passed on to them and incorporated it as part of their own American identity.

“Every generation must interpret or reinterpret the past to gain a sense of identity,” explained Prof. Der Mugrdechian. Authors that he used to demonstrate this were Peter Balakian, Peter Najarian, Micheline Aharonian Marcom, Nancy Kricorian and David Kherdian. In their works the Genocide serves as a collective symbol for empowerment and a way to reconnect with an Armenian identity. Their openness about the catastrophe and ability to express it serves as the bridge to future generations (and other interested people) to learn and communicate about the Genocide as well.

Other motifs are also shared between this iteration of Armenian-American writers. Peter Balakian, known for his book Black Dog of Fate, uses them: a grandmother, who shares the history of Armenia and the story of the Genocide and a starkly contrasting male figure, who is largely absent in his work. His grandmother represents Armenia, according to Prof. Der Mugrdechian. While in Balakian’s childhood he hears nothing about the Genocide, others have very open families that reveal the tragic family past. Peter Najarian grows up hearing of the Genocide frequently, yet he still draws upon the need to solidify the connection with his heritage by exploring the Genocide, the one symbol that connects almost all Armenian families.

As each generation succeeded the last and had to transmit the experiences of the Armenian Genocide to their children, the Armenians opened up their story to the world. Through literature, the Armenians overcame the lingering shock that kept the direct witnesses to the great injustice mostly silent. As each new generation continually expresses the stories from the scarred generation, we resolve to never be silenced or let our voices be silenced about the injustice. We build a bridge for future generations and other cultures to understand what it means to be Armenian.