How we cite our quotes: (Part.Paragraph)
Quote #1
The first time I saw Brenda she asked me to hold her glasses. (1.1)
The very first line of the story suggests that appearances will be a major theme in Goodbye, Columbus. In stories, glasses often symbolize how people see and are seen by others. Subtle, huh?
Quote #2
"I had my nose fixed" (1.115)
If it wasn't clear from the glasses line, it should be now. Brenda and her family believe that to blend into late-1950s, upper-middle-class suburbia, they need to mask their physical identities as Jews.
Quote #3
"He wants to…unless he becomes a gym teacher…but he won't […]. We all look like my father." (1.124)
Brenda's comment is slightly confusing. Is she saying that Ron's Jewish nose won't be a problem as long as he stays in the sports world? Stereotypes and discrimination are irrational and contrary to logic. It's no shock that victims of them might not make sense when discussing them.