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 #7

Yet the why of it was simple enough—the store had improved not because this cellar dweller was a musician, but because he was not Jewish. The goyim in the neighborhood were happier with one of their own. A Jew stuck in their throats. (4.1.1)

Morris believes this may be a reason for the store's improvement. We never really get certain evidence that this was the case. A lot of factors may have played a role.

Quote #8

Then he blew his nose, and wagging a thick finger in Morris's face, warned him if he had any plans to skip, he had better forget them if he expected to live. A dead Jew was of less consequence than a live one. (4.2.7)

Morris's heritage is used to threaten him with death. If that's not prejudice then we don't know what is. Nobody deserves to be threatened like that.

Quote #9

Helen felt for him, as they walked, an irritation bordering on something worse. She knew what caused it—her mother, in making every gentile, by definition, dangerous; therefore he and she, together, represented some potential evil. (4.6.7)

Throughout the novel, Helen struggles to balance her own desires and goals with the expectations of her parents. She'll lie to them, if she feels she must, but they're always at the back of her mind, guiding her.