Philip Roth Defender of the Faith

A detailed Summary of Philip Roth Defender of the Faith


Defender of the Faith, by Philip Roth, is a short story that exemplifies the nature of

Jewishness that is portrayed through the characters of Sergeant Marx and Sheldon Grossbart.

Throughout the story, there is a recurring theme revolving around the dilemma Sergeant Marx

must face in his decision to act as either a top sergeant, Jewish man, or human being (Paterson,

136). Marx's internal quarrels, in turn, cause him to constantly question his beliefs, thus leading

him to a burdensome battle he must conquer in order to retain his faith.

As the story progresses, Roth makes use of dilemma through the main character and

protagonist, Sergeant Nathan Marx (Searles, 102). Marx's character is always in a state of

uncertainty in his numerous encounters with one of his Jewish trainees, Sheldon Grossbart. Since

Marx is also Jewish, Grossbart cunningly attempts to use this common trait as a way to receive

special privileges from Marx. Through each encounter, Marx's true character and personality are

revealed by the use of this dilemma. While Grossbart continues to gain pity for his Jewishness

from the sergeant, Marx is aware of Grossbart's sly tactics yet repeatedly gives in to his requests.


services, the other trainees feel that they are actually goofing around in order to dodge the

of preparing his men for war, he shows the reader a sympathetic quality that breaks free of his

directions pertaining to each role. In his first meeting with Marx, Grossbart is already aware of

devious and cunning nature as well. Roth's use of dilemma creates suspense for the reader and, in

man (Paterson, 136). These roles, consequently, illuminate the theme behind story. Marx's

manages to do so anyway through his obsequious nature and evil use of trickery. When Marx

Grossbart once again tries to swindle the old sergeant. In one of his final encounters with Marx,

a New Jersey base rather than be shipped off to the Pacific. Marx disagrees, but Grossbart



Some common words found in the essay are:
Marx Grossbart, Jewish Grossbart, Marx Grossbart's, Philip Roth, Grossbart Marx, Sergeant Marx, Jewish Paterson, Marx Jewish, Marx Marx, Marx's Jewish, philip roth, sergeant marx, grossbart marx, marx faced, marx grossbart, defender faith, marx's character, visit aunt, example grossbart, jewish culture, jewish services nights, marx faced dilemma,

Approximate Word count = 1287
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

join now Save Paper

Related Essays

  • Defender of the Faith ampquotDefender of the Faithampquot In Philip Rothamp39s, ampquotDefender of the Faithampquot, Sergeant Nathan Marx is the ampquotDefenderampquot of whom the title speaks. ... 746 words
  • Defender of the Faith ampquotDefender of the Faithampquot In Philip Rothamp39s, ampquotDefender of the Faithampquot, a veteran of the European theatre, Nathan Marx has recently returned to the US from the war ... 439 words


Saved Paper

Save your papers so you can locate them quickly!

Newest Essays

Testimonials

  • "Thank You So Much!!! You have saved me once again!!!"
    Jack M.
  • "With so many papers to chose from, I was able to get ideas to help me with all of my classes. Thank You!"
    Brian P.
  • "I've used this site for the last 3 years to help me come up with ideas for my papers."
    Sara J.
  • "I use this site every week to help me write my own papers!"
    Rachel W.
  • "I love this site!!!"
    Marie N.
Home Join Now Support
Acceptable Use Policy About us FAQ
All papers are for research and reference purposes only!
© 2002-2009 DirectEssays.com. All Rights Reserved.