Goodbye, Columbus is told from the point of view of Neil Klugman, a twenty-three-year-old man. Yet, through a variety of techniques, the novella approaches issues of contraception and sexuality from a "women's issues" perspective. Roth's portrayals of women have come under fire. He's been accused of being a misogynist in his work (and his life) many times, based on how his male characters treat his female characters. So, we ask you this: could the issues that emerge as a result of the diaphragm drama be as effectively placed in debate if Neil were always kind to Brenda? Read on and judge for yourself.
Questions About Women's Issues
- Why doesn't Brenda want the diaphragm? Why does Neil want it?
- Why does Brenda have to say she is married in order to get a diaphragm? If you don't know, what are some resources you could use to find out?
- In quotes for this theme, Mary McCarthy and Margaret Sanger are referenced. Who are they? Could you research them for a paper on this theme?
- Does Neil ever see things from Brenda's point of view?
- What would this story look like if it were from Brenda's point of view?
- Neil describes Martha Winney's hips as "those frail bones that come together to form what in a woman half her age we would call hips" (33). What, if anything, does this say about how Neil sees older women? Women in general?
Chew on This
At the end of the story, Brenda's vision of herself as a woman has changed.
Neil sees things from Brenda's point of view but pretends not to because he's mad at her.
Neil's insinuation that Aunt Gladys's work is worthless is offensive.