NP - Roth's Women

[Ghetta Life]

Yes, the mother character in "The Plot Against America" was very sympathetic 
(and the incident you recall below was set amidst the backdrop of the 
family's dire financial state, yet she holds on to the collect long distance 
call anyway).  But Mom's don't count, especially when the significant male 
is the son (unless we're talking about some dark Freudian tale).  A better 
challenge would be to find a sympathetic female *lover* in Roth’s writings.

In Humbolt’s Gift the very sexy younger female lover turns out to be a real 
castrater (figuratively).  But Humbolt’s wife is so sympathetic that she 
let’s Humbolt abuse her as he slips into his bipolar manic state.  Not 
exactly a healthy character either…

Ghetta


>From: Paul Mackin <paul.mackin at verizon.net>
>
>
>On Jun 1, 2006, at 1:15 PM, kelber at mindspring.com wrote:
>>  If anyone has an  example of a sympathetic portrayal of a woman in 
>>Roth's work, I  stand corrected.
>>
>
>One comes to mind. The Mrs. Roth character in "The Plot Against  America." 
>She is exemplary throughout the book (no trace of Mrs.  Pornoy) but there  
>is one passage in particular (fairly near the end)  that truly sums up her 
>nobility of character. I'd quote it if I could  find my copy of the book 
>but, anyway, in this passage,  she is trying  to comfort Seldon, a boy 
>about the age of her young son Philip. The  conversation takes place over 
>the telephone. Seldon is far from home  and in very dire straits. His own 
>mother is missing and he is alone  and terrified. Seldon is a difficult 
>kid. Philip hates him as the  loser everyone considers him to be. Mrs. Roth 
>is the only one Seldon  can think of to call and doing so is the right 
>move. Mrs. Roth  masterfully talks Seldon down from his  terror. Tells him 
>to look in  the cupboard for something to eat. Put the bread in the toaster 
>(when  Seldon complains it is stale.) That sort of thing, all the time  
>keeping herself calm and focussed on the immediate problem. Don't  know if 
>it's "soul" and some will probably think it's  too  stereotypically in a 
>woman's role. For Roth it seems pretty impressive.
>

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