Goodbye, Columbus
Twentieth Century American Novels
14 January 2014
Goodbye, Columbus: “Who am I?” "Who am I?" This is a question everyone asks themselves at a point in their life, and is the exact question that Neil Klugman faces. In Phillip Roth 's novella Goodbye, Columbus, there is an ongoing search by Neil Klugman who, according to Helge Nilsen, "is involved in a struggle to develop and preserve an identity of his own amid different environments and conflicting impulses within himself," (Nilsen, 97). This search predominately takes place after he meets and falls in love with the stunning Brenda Patimkin. Their love takes place in the summer of the 1950 's in New Jersey. Although they both live in the garden state, they could not be further apart from each other in regards to affluence. Neil lives in Newark, where he houses with his Aunt and Uncle, and works at the Newark Public Library. Brenda on the other hand lives in the comfy confines of Short Hills, New Jersey. She lives with her mother, father, and two siblings, and has no economic issues due to her father’s successful Patimkin and Sons kitchen and sink business. In Neil 's relationship with Brenda, there will be many conflicts that challenge him morally, and he has to figure out whether his beliefs and morals outweigh the desire to obtain the luxurious life of the Patimpkins. Neil never really questions himself about who he is until he begins his relationship with Brenda. He defines himself through the decisions he makes when faced situations he must deal with. A constant factor in Neil 's decision making, and a component that is always in the back of his mind, is how to get closer to living the life Brenda has. Before meeting Brenda, Neil was living a relatively simple life. After meeting Breda, Neil realizes how great it is living life the way the Patimkins do. Deep down wants the same for him. This desire is evident when he is speaking with Mrs. Patimkin, Brenda 's mom, about religion. Both Neil and the
14 January 2014
Goodbye, Columbus: “Who am I?” "Who am I?" This is a question everyone asks themselves at a point in their life, and is the exact question that Neil Klugman faces. In Phillip Roth 's novella Goodbye, Columbus, there is an ongoing search by Neil Klugman who, according to Helge Nilsen, "is involved in a struggle to develop and preserve an identity of his own amid different environments and conflicting impulses within himself," (Nilsen, 97). This search predominately takes place after he meets and falls in love with the stunning Brenda Patimkin. Their love takes place in the summer of the 1950 's in New Jersey. Although they both live in the garden state, they could not be further apart from each other in regards to affluence. Neil lives in Newark, where he houses with his Aunt and Uncle, and works at the Newark Public Library. Brenda on the other hand lives in the comfy confines of Short Hills, New Jersey. She lives with her mother, father, and two siblings, and has no economic issues due to her father’s successful Patimkin and Sons kitchen and sink business. In Neil 's relationship with Brenda, there will be many conflicts that challenge him morally, and he has to figure out whether his beliefs and morals outweigh the desire to obtain the luxurious life of the Patimpkins. Neil never really questions himself about who he is until he begins his relationship with Brenda. He defines himself through the decisions he makes when faced situations he must deal with. A constant factor in Neil 's decision making, and a component that is always in the back of his mind, is how to get closer to living the life Brenda has. Before meeting Brenda, Neil was living a relatively simple life. After meeting Breda, Neil realizes how great it is living life the way the Patimkins do. Deep down wants the same for him. This desire is evident when he is speaking with Mrs. Patimkin, Brenda 's mom, about religion. Both Neil and the
Cited: Chambers, Sarah. “Reflections on Identity in Philip Roth’s Goodbye, Columbus and Mary Doyle Curren’s The Parish and the Hill. Bachelor Thesis in English Language and Culture, Utrecht University, April, 2012. Kuhnle, Deborah. “Jewish American Identity in Philip Roth’s Goodbye, Columbus: An Analysis of Neil Klugman” from Contributions to the Study of Language, Literature, and Culture. Special Issue 2, 2011. Nilsen, Helge Normann. “A Struggle for Identity: Neil Klugman’s Quest in Goodbye, Columbus.” English Studies, Volume 68, Issue 1, 1987. Rodgers, Bernard F. “The Disapproving Moralist and the Libidinous Slob” as found in Philip Roth. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1978. Roth, Philip. Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories. New York: Vintage International, a division of Random House, Incorporated, 1959.