American Jews and politics in the selected works of Philip Roth and Joseph Heller

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document in English

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published 21/11/2008

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level : Advanced

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The works of Joseph Heller and Philip Roth are frequently inhabited by American-born Jews. In The Counterlife Roth discusses the association between the American born “Diaspora Jew” to the State of Israel. In Plot Against America it is the reaction of a Jewish family to governmental anti-Semitism that Roth explores. Bruce Gold, in Joseph Heller’s Good As Gold, is a Jewish man seeking political office in the United States. Throughout the three novels the characters are revealed to consider themselves Jews only in ethnicity and it is here that they create the most conflict with their worlds. Through their relation to Gentiles one discovers a mutual fascination with the contrast between Jew and Christian. In The Counterlife, Philip Roth is greatly concerned with the relation of American born Jews to the State of Israel. The main character, Nathan Zuckerman, makes two trips to Israel during the book, once during a flashback and the second time to visit his brother Henry who is studying there. Through his extreme characters Roth creates a discussion focused mainly on the “Diaspora Jew,” Nathan in the book. Through his conversations with a wide spectrum of Israelis Roth builds this discussion of Israel and American Jews, specifically ethnic Jews like Nathan. Nathan’s friend Shuki Elchanan is one of the moderate characters in the novel and the first Israeli the reader meets.

Introduction.
1. Inhabited by American-born Jews.
2. The characters - revealed to consider themselves Jews.
The Counterlife.
1. The main character.
2. Nathan's brother Henry.
3. Nathan at the Wailing Wall.
Plot Against America.
1. The main character - Philip.
2. Philip's explaination that it was of no interest to him to follow Jews.
3. The Christmas holiday.
Good As Gold.
1. The hatred that keeps Bruce Gold from his goal.
2. In search of the Washington friends.
Anti-Semitism.
1. Driving force in Roth's Plot Against America.
2. The Counterlife - Zuckerman's dealing with anti-Semitism in a predominately indirect fashion.
3. Jewish in ethnicity only.
Conclusion.