Phil's+father

Sehar and Hannah **Summary** Herman Roth is a politically opinionated 39 year old insurance agent in the beginning of this book. He is a Jewish man with a grade school education. Only earning a little fewer than 50 dollars a week Herman tries to provide his family with the basic needs of life. Herman has a wife (Bess), two sons (Philip and Sandy), and a nephew (Alvin). Throughout the book Herman is always in a conflict with the society. For instance, in the beginning of the book he is in the conflict with his nephew (Alvin), then with his sister-in- law (Evelyn), and then with his two growing sons (Sandy and Philip). Even though Herman is always into a conflict with his family members, he loves them dearly. For instance, Herman gives up an offer of a better paying job and his dream of owning a land, just to keep his family happy. An example of Herman’s sacrifices is shown when it’s stated “And since there were one-family houses selling Union for a Depression low of a few thousand dollars, he would be able to realize an ambition he had nurtured growing up penniless in a Newark tenement flat: to become an American homeowner” (Pg 8), however Herman gives up his dreams in order to keep the family happy. Along with that Herman is also a patriotic individual, who absolutely hates anti-Semitism. He doesn’t like the prejudice against Jewish people and he strongly disagrees with President Lindbergh’s policies. **Analysis** Every decision that Herman makes influences his family members. This situation puts a lot more pressure on Herman. He continuously struggles to persuade his son (Sandy) and his nephew (Alvin) in the right direction. His younger son Philip looks up to his father, but as Philip gets older he starts to see a fault in his father’s teachings. Herman’s hopes are shattered when his older son Sandy starts to stand up against him. This is when Herman takes a control over his family by getting Sandy on the right path again. As compared to his brothers, Herman is a weaker man financially; this makes him rely on his brothers during hard times. Herman represents a typical man of that era by being involved in the American political system. He expresses his hate against anti-Semitism, which becomes the theme of this book. Herman is a character that gives readers a chance to see of what the Jewish people think of anti-Semitism. He is also that character that shows the macrocosm by sharing his political opinions in front of his family.
 * Herman Roth **