An Existential Interpretation Of Philip Roth's Nemesis

Philip Roth,as a Jewish writer in America,is prolific.He won many important prizes,such as Man Booker Prize,American National Book Award,and so on.Nemesis is normally regarded as his last book published in 2010 at the age of 77.Roth tells us about the tragedy of the Jews represented by the experience of Bucky Cantor.He narrates the predicament of Jews and reflects Jewish anguish and anxiety in different perspectives.The novel reveals man's existential predicament and it is a fable which inquires about choices and responsibility taken in the harsh reality.Roth has attracted the attention of the scholars at home and abroad.But there are only a small number of academic papers on Nemesis and most of the critics study this novel from the perspective of narrative techniques,trauma or the image of suffering protagonist.This thesis studies Nemesis from the perspective of existentialism,with the purpose to explore the predicament,choice,and responsibility of the Jews in Newark.This thesis consists of three chapters apart from introduction and conclusion.Introduction provides a brief account of Philip Roth and his works,gives a concise introduction of Nemesis,explains the theory of Sartre's existentialism and offers a literature review of Roth and Nemesis at abroad and home.It is hoped that this thesis can contribute some basic study to later research of this book,and is supposed to provide some references for the ethnic problems in reality.Chapter One analyzes the Jewish predicament in America.The predicament is shown by the disorder and chaos of Newark,the anxiety and anguish over disease,and the isolation both physically and mentally in life.In this predicament,Polio plays a great role.Adding the contradiction between two cultures and inner paradox of Jews,the whole community is in a complete mass.Chapter Two explores the responsibilities.As a chosen people,Jews have to observe the commandments and covenant made by their God,though sometimes the observation is accompanied with rebellion.With a sense of mission,they have to assist those who are suffering,and deliver the sufferers from anguish and plight.The scope of mission changes with the transformation of Jewish living environment that Jews not only help their kindred butalso Americans.The spiritual Ghetto is the mark of Jews,inherited by the Jews generation after generation.However,for the third generation of Jews cannot shake off the subtle influence from American culture during the process of observation of their own,they would transcend some of their ethnical tradition.Chapter Three probes into the choices and consequences of the Jewish individuals.With the common predicament and responsibility,they can still make their own choices,because people have absolute freedom of choice.Then some choose to exaggerate their own guilt,the other choose to stay in emotional Hell,the rest choose to take valid ways of self-salvation and realize revitalization.Conclusions are drawn that Jews are trapped in an absurd and chaotic world.By presenting the Jewish choice and result under common predicament,Philip Roth is trying to awake American Jews to envisage their sufferings,step out of shadow of the over exaggerating self-guilt,and find a valid way to save themselves,by which their life can be filled with value and meaning.