Philip Roth Defender of the Faith
Defender of the Faith, by Philip Roth, is a short story that exemplifies the nature of Jewishness that is portrayed through the characters of Sergeant Marx and Sheldon Grossbart. Throughout the story, there is a recurring theme revolving around the dilemma Sergeant Marxmust face in his decision to act as either a top sergeant, Jewish man, or human being (Paterson,136). Marx's internal quarrels, in turn, cause him to constantly question his beliefs, thus leadinghim to a burdensome battle he must conquer in order to retain his faith. As the story progresses, Roth makes use of dilemma through the main character andprotagonist, Sergeant Nathan Marx (Searles, 102). Marx's character is always in a state ofuncertainty in his numerous encounters with one of his Jewish trainees, Sheldon Grossbart. SinceMarx is also Jewish, Grossbart cunningly attempts to use this common trait as a way to receivespecial privileges from Marx. Through each encounter, Marx's true character and personality arerevealed by the use of this dilemma. While Grossbart continues to gain pity for his Jewishnessfrom the sergeant, Marx is aware of Grossbart's sly tactics yet repeatedly gives in to his requests.
The idea of Jewishness plays a major role in the mindsof the characters of the story (Lee, 82). Roth's use of dilemma creates suspense for the reader and, inturn, paints a portrait of Sergeant Marx's true feelings and morals through his decision making(Lee, 59). After theconversation, Marx gives in to Grossbart's request and informs the men of Jewish services onFriday nights, clearing up any misconceptions. Grossbart's constant abuse of the faith leads Marx to thebelief that Grossbart is no more than a foe to the Jewish religion. In this incidence,Marx agrees to the terms, believing in the importance of family and holidays. As adominating sergeant, he must act accordingly to what he has been taught in the service, indifferentto his trainees' personal needs and problems. Grossbart's misuse of themorals and values of Jewish culture, in turn, forces Marx to protect the culture's higher meaningand, thus, has him come to the self-realization that he is truly a defender of the faith. In his final dilemma with Grossbart, Marx reveals his aggressive and vengeful nature whenGrossbart once again tries to swindle the old sergeant. In conclusion, Jewish author Philip Roth successfully presents the idea of dilemma and itsconsequences to the reader, revealing the nature of the Jewish culture and its moral predicamentconcerning the preservation of the faith. For example, when Grossbart attends theJewish services on Friday nights, he dismisses its true importance and only goes to them in orderto avoid cleaning the barracks. As a human being, Marx is faced with the dilemmaof simply having a heart and actually caring for Grossbart's numerous requests. The Fiction of Philip Roth and John Updike. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1985.
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