Anti-communist Sentiment in Philip Roth's I Married a Communist
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Central Department of English
Abstract
The sole thrust of this thesis is that the ideology of capitalism utilizes plenty of harsh and
subtle, meandering and manipulative strategies. To make the system operate smoothly, the hard-
core disciples of late capitalism go to any kind of subtle and tactful approach. They enchant the
rhetoric of common well-being, extreme individualism, guarantee of private properties, programs
of welfares. But all these innovative initiatives are just the charade and tricks of trade. The sole
goal is to hoodwink and putpeople at large in doldrums.Deep-seated memoriesare part of the
longlegacy of postwar anti-communism which Roth explores and evokesinI Married A
Communist.In the contextof commonplace attacks on the manipulative impact of ideology, this
novelis freshly revisionist.Rothsets aside obligatory submissionto anti-communism in favorof
supporting a social democraticegalitarianism espoused by the postwar left. He is sympathetic to
radical unionism and to Ira's radical politics.Ira is critically awareof how directly repressive
ideology is. Typically, the capitalist ideology is unknowingly manipulative. In its inclination to
manipulate innocent people, it can put into practice even harmful and alienating program. Brain
washing, subtle sense of materialistic well-being appears to be strategies adopted by the late
capitalist venture and tycoons to make the system survive in any situation.Unions should be
activist and strong.