Fifties nostalgia in selected novels of Philip Roth

Auteurs

• Sebastian Schmitt

Paramètres

• Fiction

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This study investigates the significance of the American fifties in Philip Roth’s writing, particularly its role in popular and political discourses today. Through three case studies, it analyzes how Roth engages with fifties nostalgia in his novels *Indignation*, *I Married a Communist*, and *Sabbath’s Theater*. These works are not merely set in the fifties; they fundamentally explore this historical period that continues to captivate the American imagination. Close readings reveal a specific rhetorical structure, the American jeremiad, which Roth employs to dramatize a Jewish-American form of Americanization. By examining the functions of fifties nostalgia, the study highlights how Roth uses American history as a form of dissent and engages with contemporary political discourses. It also uncovers the imaginative and ideological constraints he navigates in his narratives. In Roth’s perspective, the American fifties serve as a lens to address various issues, including homelessness, culture-war debates, and the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ultimately, Roth’s novels illustrate that fifties nostalgia remains profoundly relevant in understanding American identity and culture today.

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• Année de publication: 2017