Important+Quotes+and+Explanations

//**__Quote __**//**__: __** "Fear presides over these memories, a perpetual fear." (pg 1)

**__Analysis __**__: __ The opening line of the novel, though short, establishes fear as a vital, if somewhat obvious motif, and ties the beginning of the novel to the end. Throughout the book, all of the characters experience fear, and many of their actions are driven by it. For example, fear drives Phillip to run away (pg 233) in an attempt to abandon his Jewish nature and become an orphan rather than stay in a state of constant fear and confusion. Herman's friends, the Tirshwells, decide to flee to Canada out of fear//, // and The first line's reference to fear also emphasizes moments like those in chapter two, when a character, most notably Herman, refuses to let fear guide their actions, like when Herman ignores the potential dangers of arguing with various citizens (pg 65, 78). Despite the fear of his family, Herman stands up for powerful beliefs, even to a police officer (pg 70). The first line of the novel ensures that the reader is watching for these moments, and recognizes them as important moments. It also acts to tie the entire story together. The last chapter's title, "Perpetual Fear," brings the first line back to mind, and shows that fear is present throughout the novel, and after its events, that its power is not limited and that its effects do not go away after the source has been removed.

**//__Quote: __//** “Then the Republicans nominated Lindbergh and everything changed.” (pg 5)

**__Analysis: __** This quote here starts the chaos in the novel. Most of the Jews are in an uproar over this. There is chaos in the neighborhoods (like on pg 15-17) just because of the simple radio broadcasts. Once Lindbergh was elected president everything went downhill for the American Jews. Some fled to Canada-for safety and/or to join the war-whereas others stayed in their neighborhoods or moved out to Kentucky and surrounding areas because of government ordinances. If Lindbergh had not become president and FDR stayed president, then none of this bad persecution would have happened in the novel, but Lindbergh was nominated by the Republicans and later was elected president. This vital line is the basis for the entire novel.




 * //__Quote __//**//: // "Never before- the great refrain of 1942" (pg 172)

**__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Analysis __**<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> This line is highlighted by several rules of notice, and introduces the fifth chapter's central purpose. First, the line is set apart from others in its own paragraph, so it stands out visually. More importantly, the preceding paragraph lists things that have "never before" been true of Phillip's life, so this line ties that together into a central point. This point is then expanded to the entire chapter by its title: "Never Before." All of this demonstrates the rapid changes that occur in this chapter, like the FBI agent who shows up to investigate Phillip's family and forces Alvin to leave, or the death of Mr. Wishnow, both new experiences that are difficult for Phillip and his family to deal with, and how these changes scare Phillip and skew his world view.

**//__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Quote __//**//<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: //<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> "That's when he hit me. First my mother hits my brother, now my father reads the words of Sister Mary Catherine and, for the first time ever, wallops me, without restraint, across the face." (pg 203)

**__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Analysis __**<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> At this point in the story the father, Herman, is becoming more and more frustrated past the point of his control. Despite a strong aversion to violence, he hits his youngest son. He has reached his limit, and feels as though he's losing control of his life, his country, and now his family. The simple shock of physical violence forces us to examine how Herman feels, and the way his reactions affect Phillip.

**//__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Quote __//**//<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: //<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> "But then it was over. The nightmare was over. Lindbergh was gone and we were safe, though never would I be able to revive that unfazed sense of security first fostered in a little child by a big, protective republic and his ferociously responsible parents." (pg 301)

**__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Analysis __**<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> This quote is very important because not only is it a change in style, but it is also explains how Philip has been changed forever. It explains that Philip is no longer a child and can never view his country the same way again. Trust is easily lost and Philip has most certainly lost his trust with his home land and perhaps humanity itself, a trust that he may never regain. "The nightmare is over," signifies that the conflict in America, as well as the conflict within Philip's family, has ended with the disappearance of Lindbergh, but even though the immediate problem is gone, the damage remains. This line serves to emphasize the full extent of the Roths' suffering.

**//__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Quote __//**//<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: //<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> “What it came down to for the child who was watching her being battered about by the most anguishing confusion (and who himself quaking with fear) was the discovery that one could do nothing right without also doing something wrong, so wrong, in fact, that especially where chaos reigned and everything was at stake, one might be better off to wait and do nothing--except that to do nothing was also to do something…in such circumstances to do nothing was to do quite a lot--and that even for the mother who performed each day in methodical opposition to life’s unruly flux, there was no system for managing so sinister a mess.” (pg 340-341) <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">
 * __<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Analysis: __** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">This paragraph introduces the idea of “unruly flux.” It is a motif that is repeated throughout the novel in situations of pg 5, where it leads to total uproar happening in many parts of the book, and also pg 120-121 where it explains how the boys followed “the fairy” home. Both situations start with a seemingly normal event and then do a 180 and become bad. It also brings up the idea of “[doing] nothing was also [doing] something.” Many examples in the book show this idea. The Roths don’t flee to Canada instead of fleeing there for safety. They also don’t go to Oklahoma instead of listening to what the government wanted. Herman left the hotel during the confrontation of changing reservations and instead took the family to the other hotel instead of causing a huge problem involving the cops. That however did enforce the lower level of the Jews.

**//__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Quote __//**//<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: //<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> "The boy was the stump, and until he was taken to live with his mother's married sister in Brooklyn ten months later, I was the prosthesis." (pg 362)

**__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Analysis __**<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> This is the very last line of the book which conveys the overall message of the book. It shows Philip's new outlook on life, on how he feels that he must help others before himself. Throughout the course of this book, Philip has been losing his childhood more and more. In the end, it is completely gone and he cannot return to his child-like state of mind. It also explains what happened to his cousin, Seldon, who lost everything. Because of that he became a human "stump" emotionally and physically. What happened to Seldon could've happened to many others who lost something during this crisis. Philip was forced to grow up and support and help his family. Having so much forced upon him, Philip's life and perspective of things changed him drastically and perhaps permantently. But was it for the better?