The Plot Against America

A pretty ingenious story-line in The Plot Against America by Philip Roth.  Roth uses his own childhood as the backdrop for this story which becomes non-fiction.  Roth, a Jewish boy, growing up across the river from NYC in New Jersey lives with his parents and brother at the time when Hitler takes power in Germany. 

The entire story follows the actual real-life storyline until the election of 1940, where President Roosevelt eyes re-election, and here is where the story becomes “non-fiction,” when FDR loses to Charles Lindbergh (the aviation hero of the 1940s), a known ally to the German thinking and a believer of American isolationism from protecting the world.  Lindbergh’s first act as President is to sign a treaty that prohibits the US to get involved in the war in Europe. 

Philip’s dad, a devout Jewish leader in the neighborhood begins to feel the sudden change by leaders who look to hold Jewish citizens down by restricting their rights and opportunities.  The Roth family are split.  Philip’s aunt and brother are sympathetic to the “no-war” approach of Lindbergh, while the rest of the family is fearful and Philip’s cousin, Alvin, known to believe that Lindbergh’s legacy will mean the end to the Jewish population goes to Canada to fight against the Nazi’s in Europe.  After a year or so in the Canadian army, Alvin falls on a grenade and losses one of his legs.  Philip’s aunt, Evelyn, marries one of the Jewish leaders, who sympathizes with Lindbergh’s politics in hopes that it saves the American Jews.  Society continues to turn on the American Jews, scattering communities and leaders in their community by moving them apart to far-reaching parts of the US and removing employment opportunities that looked like a lock before the elections.  

The world continues to fall further apart and President Lindbergh disappears after flying his plane across the US.  We later learn that Lindbergh’s history with the Nazi’s appears to reach back to when his young son was kidnapped and later found dead outside his home in New Jersey (that is a true part of the story, that his son was kidnapped from their home and later found murdered, but no Nazi connection).  In the story, Philip’s aunt Evelyn believes that Lindbergh’s kidnapped son lived and was taken by the Nazi’s and raised in the party, hence why Lindbergh had to cooperate with Hitler.  The story shares a scary view of American life where the Nazi party could have direct influence on the way our society reacted during the war.  Roth’s youth and the images that it creates in the reader is ‘spot on’ and gives a true picture of the fear that one imagines feeling at that age.  Well written and captivating story.  Wish the ending had a bit more on what happened after the Germans took Lindbergh etc., we are left envisioning America in agreement with the Nazis.  Maybe a sequel?