The Conversion of the Jews (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Philip Roth
- First Published: 1958
- Type of Plot: Coming of age
- Time of Work: The 1950's
- Setting: An American city
- Principal Characters: Oscar (Ozzie) Freedman, Mrs. Freedman, Itzie Lieberman, Rabbi Marvin Binder, Yakov Blotnik
- Genres: Short fiction
- Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, Tradition, Sex or sexuality, Jews or Jewish life, Bar Mitzvahs, Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint
- Locales: United States
The Story
Ozzie Freedman has been attending a synagogue Hebrew school in preparation for his Bar Mitzvah confirmation. He is a bright student, but entirely too inquisitive for the comfort of his teacher, Rabbi Marvin Binder. Binder is irritated by Ozzie's inability to accept traditional doctrinal answers to fundamental religious questions, and he has summoned Mrs. Freedman three times to discuss her son's disruptive influence on his class.
During the Wednesday afternoon class prior to their third scheduled meeting, tensions between Ozzie and Binder precipitate a crisis....
[The entire page is 1381 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
See Also
