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The Plot Against America, by Philip Roth, is centered around a seven-year-old boy who is assumed to be the a younger version of the author, as they go by the same name. This young Philip Roth is an American Jew, in the 1940's. This, however, is an alternate form of history. After Roosevelt is finished with his second term, the Republicans elect the young, brave, and bright Charles A. Lindbergh to be president. This is the same Lindbergh who flew the Spirit of St. Louis.
The book's chapters are set chronologically, each chapter longer than a normal chapter, as they are the measure of usually two to six months worth of material. The content is split between focusing on the Roth family and their struggles as a Jewish family, and the political aspect of the book, the fact that Lindbergh openly supported Hitler, which divides the whole of America. With this, the author glorifies all Jewish folk and the Democrats, and essentially tears down the 1940's versions of all Catholics and Republicans, both of which are supporting of Hitler in this time. As I'm basically halfway through the book, the Roth family has so far seen horrors in their time. Philip's cousin Alvin has gone to fight Hitler in Canada, and come back without one leg. Their father of the family next door killed himself out of despair, not only because the father was a Jew, he had lung cancer and was essentially disabled. His days were marked to him anyways, and as Lindbergh took over America, all hope was lost.
This alternate history, the change of one person's role, drastically makes this book different from real history. A man named Walter Winchell, a Jewish Democrat who was originally a radio host (and later fired by hateful Republicans) took up candidacy for the next term of presidency. This inspired riots, called the Winchell riots, which led to politically-blinded, unreasonable Republicans making frequent attempts on his life. America was divided thoroughly, more so than in real history, due to a single man, Lindbergh, and his plans for passing the Hitlerites' ideas into America.
The following link is to Lindbergh's real history, one not as President:
This book sounds like it has many dimensions of conflict in it. I was wondering why the Republicans have to be Catholic and the Democrats have to be Jewish.
ReplyDeleteThis booko sounds like there is many ways of conflict throughout the book. This sounds like a very interesting book. Why did the Republicans catholic and democrats not?
ReplyDeleteI like how you thoroughly summarized the book. I never knew that some Americans supported Hitler-I thought that all of them were against Hitler. This book sounds a little bit like the book Night by Elie Wiesel because the protagonists of both books were Jews living in the 1940s.
ReplyDeleteI like how you explained the differences between the story in the book and in the history of what actually happened. I think that the United States partially supporting Hitler would make an interesting twist and I would like to look more into the novel.
ReplyDeleteIt always seems that politics is always a source of conflict
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that some americans actually supported Hitler and his ideas. I also don't see how someone who supports Hitler would be allowed to become President.
ReplyDeleteI find the idea of an alternate reality where Lindbergh is the president makes an interesting twist on American history where the Jewish people cannot escape the persecution of Hitler by coming to the corrupt u.s government, i would enjoy reading into this novel to learn about the life of a young Jewish boy in this world.
ReplyDeleteI would be worried if Lindbergh became president because he can't even keep track of his own son let alone the US... but it sounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThe thought that a lot of people, including Americans supported Hitler and his Nazi ideology. Why would Americans support Hitler? I know that a lot of Germans supported Hitler because they saw Hitler as hope to their future, Germany had suffered and Hitler wanted to take back everything but why would Americans support it?
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