Goodbye, Columbus is Neil Klugman's voyage of discovery. As signaled by the glasses we see in the first line of the novella, he will undergo a changing of vision. His struggle throughout the story is to see clearly—the nature of his love for Brenda, his path in life, and his inner self. He also explores issues of physical appearance and how these intersect with racism and discrimination. This is most obvious in the running debate over Brenda's nose job and in the black boy's experiences of being discriminated against due to the color of his skin. The appearance of one's residence is also important to Neil, as seen in his reactions to the opulence of the Patimkin home.
Questions About Appearances
- Why does Neil object to Brenda's nose job?
- What are the reasons Brenda gives for getting a nose job? For Ron's nose job?
- Why aren't there any pictures of Mr. Patimkin in the house?
- Does Neil judge Brenda by her appearance?
- Does the appearance of the Patimkin house show the reality of the people who live in it?
Chew on This
Neil is the most shallow character in the story; he judges everything by its surface appearance.
Brenda's vanity both attracts and repels Neil.