Fear, Humiliation, and Indignation: The Political and Psychological Dimensions of Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America

Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America represents his exploration of the psychological influence of prejudice—in this case anti-Semitism—upon a young boy. Roth varies his narrative approach, sometimes allowing the older Philip Roth to comment on events but for the most part working through indirect discourse to allow the reader to see into the mind of Young Philip as he tries to absorb the impact of anti-Semitism on his family. Roth reveals the emotional response of his characters as they experience individual events involving anti-Semitism, with Young Philip experiencing mostly fear and humiliation, his father overwhelmed by indignation.