Family

Although the novel is heavily concerned with overarching political themes and phenomena, the narrative gives equal weight to matters of family tensions and relationships, especially with regards to how these family dynamics are affected by political changes. Philip, as the novel’s main point of view character, serves as the central barometer for these family dynamics, as principally explored through the Roth family. Philip, as the youngest and apparently meekest member of the Roth family, closely and neurotically observes the behaviors and attitudes of his family member, wishing to dispel tension and always failing to do so. He loves his family members equally, and thus he internally cringes at the tension that erupts between them. For example, he respects the authority of his father and the interests of his brother Sandy, but he dislikes the disagreements that form between them. Through this anxious observation, the narrative...