The Plot Against America
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Its not just strangers who feel comfortable espousing their bigotry in public.
I guess Alvin counted himself a citizen of the world, Herman shoots back.
And a Jew, he adds.
Even though hes right, Herman unintentionally uses Alvin as a tool for his ideology as well.
(Theyre all angry in some way.
But not like him, a Canadian nurse informs Herman.)
He plays craps with his old friend Shush, who now knows Newark mobster Longy Zwillman.
He gets Alvin fired from working at Montys warehouse when a G-man leans on Hermans brother.
Its just a great opportunity!
Sandy insists, without realizing hes slowly morphing into just another opportunist like his aunt and her fiance.
Hes a 15-year-old boy who likes being in proximity to great power and wants to make his own decision.
His love of Just Folks and his no-big-deal attitude toward Lindberghs association with Nazis folds into his teen rebellion.
All Sandy sees is his parents refusing to let him meet the president.
All Herman and Bess see is their son cozying up to ideas he doesnt fully understand.
Alvins severed leg and Sandys bruised face are reminders of the violence thats seeping into their home.
The world has evolved into a dangerous place.
Any slip-up can potentially cost someone their life.
This is not a game.
Its possible Simon and Rexrode wanted to soften Hermans reaction to Philips misbehavior.
Alas, that detail rang false for me.
At best, it feels like a cheap way to engender sympathy towards the two power-hungry turncoats, i.e.
no matter how many Jews they sell out to curry favor with Lindbergh, theyll still be Jews.
