This essay examines what it means to be Jewish, and will give further details about the different definitions of Jewishness found especially in America. It looks at the way Jewishness is presented in Arthur Miller’s novelFocus,and it examines whether Lowenthal’s definition of Jewishness is affirmed or challenged by novel.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Definitions of Jewishness
3. Jewishness in Arthur Miller’s Focus
4. Does Arthur Miller’s Focus affirm or challenge Lowenthal’s view of Jewishness?
Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the construction of Jewish identity in America, specifically analyzing how it is portrayed in Arthur Miller’s 1945 novel Focus. It examines the fluidity of identity and the societal role in defining the "other," ultimately questioning whether an individual's Jewishness is self-determined or externally imposed by antisemitic perception.
- The evolution of definitions of Jewishness in post-war America.
- The impact of societal prejudice on personal identity formation.
- The distinction between authentic and inauthentic Jewish identity as proposed by Jean-Paul Sartre.
- Arthur Miller’s portrayal of Lawrence Newman’s transformation from antisemite to victim of antisemitism.
- Evaluation of the statement: "one is a Jew if a Gentile says one is a Jew."
Excerpt from the Book
3. Jewishness in Arthur Miller’s Focus
Lawrence Newman does not identify himself as a Jew when he first gets his new spectacles, although he does realise that they make his face look Jewish. He hopes that other people will not realise the change in his appearance.
When he sees himself for the first time in the mirror wearing his glasses, he sees a Jew and not ‘himself’. Although he is totally aware of that it is his own face that is reflected in the mirror, it seems to him as if it was the face of a stranger. “A long time he stood staring at himself, at his forehead, his chin, his nose. It took many moments of detailed inspection of his parts before he could see himself whole. […] In the mirror in his bathroom, the bathroom had used for nearly seven years, her was looking at what might properly be called the face of a Jew. A Jew, in fact, had gotten into his bathroom.” (Focus, p.24). This scene describes clearly the problematic situation of Newman’s self-alienation, and his difficulties in accepting himself as looking Jewish.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces Arthur Miller’s novel Focus and provides a brief overview of the protagonist, Lawrence Newman, an antisemite who begins to be perceived as Jewish after wearing spectacles.
2. Definitions of Jewishness: This chapter explores various sociological and cultural interpretations of what constitutes Jewish identity in America, including perspectives from Rabbi Morris Kertzer and critics like David Brauner.
3. Jewishness in Arthur Miller’s Focus: This chapter analyzes the protagonist’s psychological struggle with his new identity and his interactions with characters like Gertrude Hart and Finkelstein.
4. Does Arthur Miller’s Focus affirm or challenge Lowenthal’s view of Jewishness?: This chapter concludes the essay by arguing that the novel validates the view that Jewish identity can be externally imposed by society, reflecting on Miller’s own narrative choices.
Keywords
Arthur Miller, Focus, Jewish identity, Antisemitism, Lawrence Newman, Social integration, Inauthentic Jew, Jean-Paul Sartre, Lawrence D. Lowenthal, Prejudice, Self-alienation, Cultural construct, American society, Post-war fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this essay?
The essay explores the fluidity and definition of Jewish identity in America as depicted through the transformative journey of the protagonist in Arthur Miller's novel, Focus.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the impact of societal perception on identity, the nature of antisemitism, the difference between self-identification and external labels, and the social integration of Jewish immigrants.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to determine whether Arthur Miller's novel affirms or challenges the statement by Lawrence D. Lowenthal: "A Jew cannot be defined by religion, race, or national identity: one is a Jew if a Gentile says one is a Jew."
What scientific method is employed in this study?
The essay utilizes a qualitative literary and critical analysis, drawing upon sociological definitions of identity and philosophical concepts—specifically those of Jean-Paul Sartre—to interpret the literary text.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers sociological definitions of Jewishness, an analysis of the protagonist's identity crisis in the novel, and a critical evaluation of how external prejudice creates an identity for the individual.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Key terms include Arthur Miller, Focus, Jewish identity, Antisemitism, Lawrence Newman, and social construct, reflecting the intersection of literature and social identity theory.
How does the protagonist, Lawrence Newman, initially view Jews?
Before his transformation, Newman is an ordinary antisemite who holds negative stereotypes about Jews, believing them to be "stingy impostors" with no tradition of nobility.
Why does Newman eventually accept his Jewish identity?
He accepts the identity because, after being perceived and treated as a Jew by his peers and society, he confronts the prejudice he once held and realizes that his previous beliefs were unfounded.
- Quote paper
- Lenka Eiermann (Author), 2005, 'A Jew cannot be defined by religion, race, or national identity: one is a Jew if a Gentile says one is a Jew.' (Lawrence D. Lowenthal), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/47313
