Primo Levi and the limits of representation

This article discusses the topos about the limit of representation, which did not emerge in the 20th century, but was used by many survivors to suggest that events in concentration camps could not be converted into credible narratives. Although Primo Levi used this commonplace, he did not for that reason refrain from reflecting on the horizons and possibilities of representation. It is intended to analyze how the author mobilized different devices to figure the unprecedented experience at Lager.

Keywords:
Primo Levi; representation; testimony literature