Great American Books

This is the official blog for the students of Monica Osborne's Great American Books course at Purdue University.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Roth: American Pastoral


"His great looks, his larger-than-lifeness, his glory, our sense of his having been exempted from all self-doubt by his heroic role -- that all these manly properties had precipitated a political murder made me think of the compelling story . . . of Kennedy" (83). In what ways do American Pastoral's political metaphors reflect the story of mid-century America? Why might they be presented through a Kennedy-like figure?
Note: You should have finished the first two sections of this book before answering this question. Please post your comment no later than Thursday, March 22, 4:30pm.