Plot+Overview

Philip Roth, a young Jewish boy is growing up in the early 1940's with his Jewish family in a exclusively Jewish community. Philip cares most about his stamp collection and he has one older brother by the name of Sanford, but is often refferred to as Sandy in the novel and he is a very talented artist. His father is a paranoid man with regards to the direction the country is headed and is quite concerned with the situation for the Jews in Europe. Philip's mother is a very concerning mother who tries to manage the stress of situation while mothering her children. Philip's cousin, Alvin, is also very concerned for the well-being of the Jews in the novel and even lives with the Roth family for awhile. Philip's Aunt Evelyn contrasts to the beliefs of the majority of the family by supporting the president. She has a strong influence on Sandy throughout the novel. The Wishnows, who live downstairs from the Roths are also another Jewish family going through tough times. The child of the family, Seldon, hangs around Philip and the mother is good friends with Mrs. Roth. The Roth family is heavily persuaded by the Jewish radio host, Walter Winchell, who later in the book makes a run for presidency.

The novel begins during WWII at a time when most Americans do not want to enter a war that they feel is only for the Jews. Because of this Charles A. Lindbergh recieves nomination on behalf of the republican party and eventually defeats FDR in the election. The Jewish community, including the Roth family is outraged by having an anti-semetic in office. The Roth family then takes a vacation to Washington D.C. where they meet their guide to the city, Mr. Taylor. Here Mr. Roth gets into a few verbal fights with non-Jewish tourists about who belongs in the presidential office and recieves his nickname, "Loudmouth Jew." Also, in Washington D.C. the family is discriminated against and forced to vacate their hotel and move to a different one. In this party of the novel Alvin leaves for Canada to join the Canadians in the fight against Hitler.

The novel then leads to a governmental program that Sandy is very interested called Just Folks. Sandy's aunt supports his decission to participate in the program where he will be sent to Kentucky to work on a farm. After conflict with his parents, sandy then goes to live in Kentucky for a part of the summer. While Sandy is gone the rest of the family recieves a letter informing them that Alvin had been injured in the war and lost his leg at the knee. When Sandy returns, many of his ideas about the country and Judaism have changed. Later Aunt Evelyn invites Rabbi Banglesdorf to a family dinner. The clashing ideas of Rabbi Banglesdorf and Mr. Roth cause a dispute at the dinner. The novel then reveals that out of fear Mrs. Roth has gotten a job and opened a bank account in Montreal just in case the situation in America against the Jews worsens.

After Alvin's discharge from the Canadian army, he starts living with the Roth family. Alvin has taken a turn and is no longer intersted in the Jewish politics he used to firmly believe in. He now spends his time playing crabs with highschool friends. Phillip shares a room with Alvin and has to bandage his stump and the two share a new bond. One day when Philip is visiting Alvin while he is playing craps with his friends Alvin gives Philip twenty dollars. On his way home Philip is stopped by the FBI and is interrogated about his cousin, Alvin. When Philip arrives home he talks to some other kids that say that a man killed himself and Philip thinks it is his own father because he sees his mother helping out. After he finds out that his father is okay his mother assures him that, Mr. Wishnow, the man that had died did not commit suicide but died of his illness. Aunt Evelyn then invites Sandy to go to the Von Ribbentropp dinner so he can be an example of the Just Folks program. Von Ribbentropp is a Nazi from Germany so naturally Mr. And Mrs. Roth are against Sandy attending the dinner which leads to Mr. Roth kicking Aunt Evelyn out of their home. Aunt Evelyn goes to the dinner and is recorded at the dinner and the newsreel is then played at the newsreel theatre. Philip is aware of this so he forges a note from a nun to get him into the theatre so he can see his aunt at the dinner which is held at the white house but is caught. When his father arrives at the theatre to take him home he hits Philip out of anger.

The family is then confronted with a letter stating that Mr. Roth's job is being relocated to Kentucky by the same branch of government Philip's aunt is a part of. Philip goes to his aunt and tells her that he doesn't want his father's job to get moved to Kentucky. His aunt tells him that she can't do anything about the relocation and Philip asks if his neighbor, Seldon Wishnow, and his mother can go in their place. His aunt asks if Seldon is Philip's best friend and Philip says yes. Later the Wishnows also recieve a letter stating their occupation relocation to Kentucky as well. Philip finally decides that he is going to do something and plots to run away by stealing Seldon's clothes and packing it together with his beloved stamp collection. He takes his neighbor's belongings along with his stamp collection and goes to the nearby orphanage in attempt to steal a horse and run away with it. The plan is then hindered by a swift kick to the head from the horse, recieved by Philip. Seldon, who had followed Philip to the orphanage comes to the unconcsious juvenile's rescue. All of Seldon's stolen belongings are found but Philip's beloved stamp collection is never to be seen again.

Because of the family's desire to not get relocated Mr. Roth quits his job and takes up one for Philip's uncle Monty which only allows unpleasent hours. On the other hand, the Wishnows couldn't avoid the relocation and moved to Danville Kentucky. Walter Winchell, the host of the radio show the family tuned into for politcal guidance is taken off the air and then declares his run for the presidency. The family is then excluded from the marriage of Aunt Evelyn and Rabbi Bangelsdorf. The FBI plays another role in the novel but this time it is not investigating Alvin but is more interested in Mr. Roth and Uncle Monty is almost forced to fire his brother but is spared of this burden by bribing his way out of it. Winchell's campaign for presidency becomes more serious as he is threatened and even admitted into the hospital after being shot. When released, riots break out all over the country giving the chapter its name, "The Winchell Riots." Winchell is then assassinated in Louisville, Kentucky and this worries Mrs. Roth over the Wishnows new home nearby so she calls the Wishnows but can only get ahold of Seldon and not his mother. The Cucuzzas, who now live where the Wishnows used to, bring the Roths a gun for protection due to the riots that had broken out over the death of Winchell.

Alvin returns to vistit the Roth family with his fiance. By now Alvin has become a big time gambler. When Alvin is confronted about his new lifestyle by Mr. Roth, they get into an indepth arguement which leads to Alvin blaming Mr. Roth for losing his leg and eventually spits in his face. After a huge fight that tears apart the family's living room, Alvin leaves the house. A riot breaks outside of the Roth's home, and this convinces Mr. Roth to move his family to Canada. However, the Canadian border has been closed by the US government because Lindbergh's plane has mysteriously dissapeared and a nation-wide search is enacted. Many rumors exist about the president's location but no true is available. The succeeding president then has many popular Jews, FDR, and Anne Lindburgh arrested. Anne manages to escape and convinces the nation to hold an election for a new president. FDR wins this election and he stops the fight against Jews and enters WWII against Hitler. Aunt Evelyn shares the most important rumor about Lindbergh, which is that he was a pawn of the Nazi regime because their son was taken under German custody.

Mrs. Roth recieves a scared phone call from Seldon in which he wonders where his mother went. Mrs. Roth calls the Mawhinneys, the family that hosted Sandy in Kentucky, to help Seldon. They pick up Seldon and take care of him before the family can pick him up. Seldons worst fears end up becoming a reality and he finds out his mother was murdered. Mr. Roth and Sandy go to pick up Seldon, and Philip realizes that Mrs. Wishnows death may have been his fault. Futhermore, after the arrest of Rabbi Banglesdorf, Aunt Evelyn comes to the family's home in fear. However, Mrs. Roth does not allow Evelyn to stay with the family. When the riots are happening, Philip is with the next door neighbor Joey Cucuzza but Joey annoys Philip and he leaves. Philip goes down into the cellar and discovers his Aunt Evelyn hiding there. The novel conludes with Phillip fearing that the US enters the war on the side of Hitler and as Seldon becomes his roommate, is disappointed when he becomes the support for Seldon.

Under consturction by CJ, Nenad & Co.