The Assistant Prejudice Quotes

How we cite our quotes: The book doesn't have numbered or titled chapters, but it is broken up into sections with sub-sections under these. We'll call this Chapter:Section:Paragraph.

Quote #1

Morris paid cash for the liverwurst; from a German he wanted no favors. (1.1.19)

You'll see people referred to by their nationalities in the novel. It's how people identify one another in this ethnically diverse Brooklyn neighborhood. Also, the book takes place not long after the end of World War II…so you might imagine there could be a lingering sense of mistrust between Jews and Germans.

Quote #2

"You're a Jew Liar." (1.6.6)

Both capitalized terms are meant by the robber as insults.

Quote #3

Yet she felt, whenever she thought of it, always a little troubled at the thought of the stranger's presence below, a goy, after all, and she looked forward to the time when he was gone. (3.1.16)

Helen has been raised to distrust, if not dislike, non-Jews.