Author(s): Pakthima Supanchaikul

Abstract: Since the Holocaust genre held its significance in terms of literature and cultural memory, it served as a medium for preserving historical truth, which can also foster empathy and develop critical thinking skills among individuals. This study explores the significance of using the Holocaust genre to understand the conceptual metaphor through two notable works: The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris and The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe. Indeed, the use of these two novels could bridge the gap between historical events and the readers using Lakoff’s The Contemporary Theory of Metaphor, offering new insight into the roles of metaphor in representing Holocaust survivors’ experience during wartime, which underlines the concept related to survival, identity, moral ambiguity, atrocity, etc.

Keywords: The Holocaust genre, conceptual metaphor, Holocaust literature, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Librarian of Auschwitz

Article Info: Received: 30 Oct 2024; Received in revised form: 29 Nov 2024; Accepted: 05 Dec 2024; Available online: 13 Dec 2024

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.96.36