driven by what she didn't have, what was denied her by the capitalist government. Ethel Rosenberg came from an extremely poor family and became a clerk for a shipping company where she was faced with poor working conditions and low salaries, which eventually led her to join the American Communist Party. Rochelle Isaacson stopped working after her second child was born, and focused all her energies on looking after her children and her home. Ethel spent most of her time and energy at home taking care of her two sans Michael and Robert. Doctorow's physical descriptions of Paul and Rochelle paint the picture of the Rosenbergs, Paul and Julius share their thin physique and glasses, and Rochelle, '...had thick hair that tended to curl and she liked to keep it short.' (Doctorow:42) This is exactly what Ethel's hair looked like. (http://www.rosenbergtrial.org/plyrstxt1.html)
             An interview with Robert Meeropol, the youngest son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, in The Journal News makes some interesting points which draw parallels with the novel. 'Although there were relatives on both sides of the family, no one wanted to take the boys in, because they feared being associated with communists.' (http://www.thejournalnews.com/rosenbergs/rosenberg03.htm) On page 148 of the novel, Paul's sister, Frieda is complaining about having to take the children in for a while. She asks, 'But how do I explain who these children are? How do I explain where their parents are?' (Doctorow:148). The children stay with her for a very short while until they are moved to a shelter in the Bronx. The article states that the boys, '...spent time in a shelter in the Bronx.' (http://www.thejournalnews.com/rosenbergs/rosenberg03.htm) Daniel and Susan are eventually taken to see their parents with Aschter, their lawyer. When they arrive at the prison they are bombarded by reporters taking photographs ...