Chapter 6 - The Early Years

Summary

This first chapter on thel contexts of Roth’s work provides an overview of these responses in Roth’s early years as a published writer, addressing the accolades for works such as Goodbye, Columbus, as well as the pushback early works received from members of the Jewish community, who deemed elements of his early short stories to be anti-Semitic. The chapter also briefly addresses Roth’s output after the largely positive reception of Goodbye, Columbus – namely, Letting Go (1962) and When She Was Good (1967) – providing an overview of the more mixed reviews received by these works, and Roth’s own struggle to find his voice as a young author.