Kavalier & Clay – The Golem as a Work of Art and as a Protector

Artistry is one of the first things we consider as a marker of humanity's uniqueness as a species. Cave paintings, in all their simplistic glory, are the subject of extensive study and admiration. As humanity has advanced and society has evolved, so too have the manners in which we express ourselves as well as what we attempt to express. A common way to reflect the ideas, emotions, or culture of a person or people through art is to give that art human form, in figures or statues. From the Venus figurines of the Paleolithic Era to the Renaissance and Michelangelo's David, every sculpture ever made has something to say about the person who created it and the place where it was born, so to speak. The Golem of Prague is another creation that follows this form. 

The Jewish history in Europe is, unfortunately, one of persecution–as a distinct "other" in the predominantly Christian communities of Europe, they were easily isolated and scapegoated with little ability to defend themselves. All the way back in the 14th century, Jews received the blame for the Black Death's desolation of the continent. In the 1600's, when Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel created the Golem, the Jewish population of Prague was faced with yet another period of persecution at the hands of the Holy Roman Emperor. According to legend, the Golem's duty was to protect Prague's Jews from their impending devastation. If we look at the Golem as a work of art, we see in this purpose a reflection of the history of European Judaism and the effects centuries of persecution have had on the Jewish culture.

The Golem appears frequently in Kavalier & Clay, which is set in the Jewish community's greatest ever time of danger. But interestingly, our introduction to the sculpture is as something that the Jews must protect as opposed to the other way around. However, even the process of the Golem's rescue serves to protect at least one Jew: Josef Kavalier. The Golem is Joe's ticket out of Prague, towards a new life in America, and in that way protects him from the fate of so many of his fellow Czech Jews. 

Upon Joe's arrival in America and his and Sammy's first meeting with Sheldon Anapol, he is tasked with conjuring a superhero–a protector of the innocent and enemy of the evil–to present to Sammy's boss. In a frantic, last-minute effort, a likeness of the Golem springs forth from Joe's pen. To Joe the Golem is synonymous with righteousness and the protection of the innocent. Here we see an artwork (the Golem) interpreted and expressed by another artist in his own medium; not only reflecting a creator's beliefs, but influencing the beliefs of another creator.

Joe once again is inspired by the Golem towards the novel's conclusion. His magnum opus, the multi-thousand page wordless story of the Golem, is born only after he has experienced the most suffering, from which he needed the most protection. This comic book is yet again artistically indicative of Joe's experiences. It lacks spoken words because Joe has not spoken to his family in over a decade. It is thematically dark and serious, much more so than the spandex-clad titans of the industry, because Joe's life for so long has lacked the childish wonder and impossibility of superheroes. And to tell his new story, Joe chooses the Golem, a symbol of hope that attempts to fight away the encroaching darkness. As the Golem continues to watch over Joe, he makes it into his own. Thus, even after its dissolution into muck after traveling the whole world over, the Golem at least protects Joe's story, if nothing else.