The Plot Against America is a novel by Philip Roth published in 2004.
The
Plot
Against
America
is
a
novel
by
Philip
Roth
published
in
2004
.
Instead of reconstructing real historical events, Philip Roth offers something bolder: a reconstruction of imagined events, a "what if ...?"
Instead
of
reconstructing
real
historical
events
,
Philip
Roth
offers
something
bolder
:
a
reconstruction
of
imagined
events
,
a
``
what
if
...
?
''
that reads like a "what really happened".
that
reads
like
a
``
what
really
happened
''
.
Just suppose...that the air hero Charles Lindbergh, the man who made the first solo transatlantic flight in 1927, who earned huge sympathy when his baby son was kidnapped and murdered five years later, who called Hitler "a great man", just suppose that he'd run for president in November 1940, and took advantage of the feelings that undoubtedly existed then (No more war!
Just
suppose
...
that
the
air
hero
Charles
Lindbergh
,
the
man
who
made
the
first
solo
transatlantic
flight
in
1927
,
who
earned
huge
sympathy
when
his
baby
son
was
kidnapped
and
murdered
five
years
later
,
who
called
Hitler
``
a
great
man
''
,
just
suppose
that
he
'd
run
for
president
in
November
1940
,
and
took
advantage
of
the
feelings
that
undoubtedly
existed
then
(
No
more
war
!
Never again will young Americans die on foreign soil!
Never
again
will
young
Americans
die
on
foreign
soil
!
), and that instead of Roosevelt being elected for a third term and taking America into Europe to fight the Nazis, Lindbergh won a landslide victory.
)
,
and
that
instead
of
Roosevelt
being
elected
for
a
third
term
and
taking
America
into
Europe
to
fight
the
Nazis
,
Lindbergh
won
a
landslide
victory
.
And then he signed non-aggression treaties with Germany and Japan, and introduced a set of anti-semitic measures which were a betrayal of the rights and liberties in the constitution and yet they were accepted by the mass of ordinary citizens and even by some Jews.
And
then
he
signed
non-aggression
treaties
with
Germany
and
Japan
,
and
introduced
a
set
of
anti-semitic
measures
which
were
a
betrayal
of
the
rights
and
liberties
in
the
constitution
and
yet
they
were
accepted
by
the
mass
of
ordinary
citizens
and
even
by
some
Jews
.
The narrator is Philip Roth, aged seven, and the family at the book's centre are his family-father Herman, mother Bess and brother Sandy.
The
narrator
is
Philip
Roth
,
aged
seven
,
and
the
family
at
the
book
's
centre
are
his
family-father
Herman
,
mother
Bess
and
brother
Sandy
.
The Roths understand the threat posed by Lindbergh, but each member of the family responds differently.
The
Roths
understand
the
threat
posed
by
Lindbergh
,
but
each
member
of
the
family
responds
differently
.
Early on, there's a trip to see the sights of Washington, where the Roths find their pre-booked hotel room has become mysteriously unavailable.
Early
on
,
there
's
a
trip
to
see
the
sights
of
Washington
,
where
the
Roths
find
their
pre-booked
hotel
room
has
become
mysteriously
unavailable
.
An obvious case of anti-semitism, Herman shouts, and a violation of the principle that "All men are created equal".
An
obvious
case
of
anti-semitism
,
Herman
shouts
,
and
a
violation
of
the
principle
that
``
All
men
are
created
equal
''
.
But his loudmouth protests embarrass Bess.
But
his
loudmouth
protests
embarrass
Bess
.
Already there's a pressure to pretend not to see what's going on.
Already
there
's
a
pressure
to
pretend
not
to
see
what
's
going
on
.
Further disagreements arise when Sandy disappears for the summer for an "apprenticeship" with a Kentucky tobacco farmer.
Further
disagreements
arise
when
Sandy
disappears
for
the
summer
for
an
``
apprenticeship
''
with
a
Kentucky
tobacco
farmer
.
Worse, after he successfully encourages other Jewish city boys to follow his example, he's invited to a reception at the White House through his aunt, Bess's sister Evelyn.
Worse
,
after
he
successfully
encourages
other
Jewish
city
boys
to
follow
his
example
,
he
's
invited
to
a
reception
at
the
White
House
through
his
aunt
,
Bess
's
sister
Evelyn
.
While Herman refuses Sandy permission to attend, Evelyn defends Lindbergh as a freely elected democrat.
While
Herman
refuses
Sandy
permission
to
attend
,
Evelyn
defends
Lindbergh
as
a
freely
elected
democrat
.
The Plot Against America is a novel by Philip Roth published in 2004. Instead of reconstructing real historical events, Philip Roth offers something bolder: a reconstruction of imagined events, a "what if ...?" that reads like a "what really happened".  Just suppose...that the air hero Charles Lindbergh, the man who made the first solo transatlantic flight in 1927, who earned huge sympathy when his baby son was kidnapped and murdered five years later, who called Hitler "a great man", just suppose that he'd run for president in November 1940, and took advantage of the feelings that undoubtedly existed then (No more war! Never again will young Americans die on foreign soil! ), and that instead of Roosevelt being elected for a third term and taking America into Europe to fight the Nazis, Lindbergh won a landslide victory. And then he signed non-aggression treaties with Germany and Japan, and introduced a set of anti-semitic measures which were a betrayal of the rights and liberties in the constitution and yet they were accepted by the mass of ordinary citizens and even by some Jews.  The narrator is Philip Roth, aged seven, and the family at the book's centre are his family-father Herman, mother Bess and brother Sandy. The Roths understand the threat posed by Lindbergh, but each member of the family responds differently. Early on, there's a trip to see the sights of Washington, where the Roths find their pre-booked hotel room has become mysteriously unavailable. An obvious case of anti-semitism, Herman shouts, and a violation of the principle that "All men are created equal".  But his loudmouth protests embarrass Bess. Already there's a pressure to pretend not to see what's going on. Further disagreements arise when Sandy disappears for the summer for an "apprenticeship" with a Kentucky tobacco farmer. Worse, after he successfully encourages other Jewish city boys to follow his example, he's invited to a reception at the White House through his aunt, Bess's sister Evelyn. While Herman refuses Sandy permission to attend, Evelyn defends Lindbergh as a freely elected democrat.