Focus

Although written in the 1940s, and dealing with a man mistaken for being Jewish when he has to wear glasses, you could transport the themes to any era and almost any ethnic group. The book demonstrates how mistaken ethnic identity affects the lead character Newman, in terms of how the world perceives him, how his relationships even with those who know he is not Jewish are affected, and how he perceives himself and his own prejudices. As the book ends inconclusively, you must fill in your own blanks as to what Newman's future will bring. A fascinating novel from one of our great playwrights.

I have long known of Arthur Miller's writing through his plays - "Death of a Salesman," "The Crucible." Little did I know of the punch of his fiction writing. "Focus" is a small jewel - and by far his most controversial work. In this compact novel he attacks the antisemitism that boiled beneath the surface in America during World War II. Lawrence Newman lives in Queens and commutes to his safe job in Manhattan working for The Corporation. He is a nondescript personnel officer. In this corporation, Jews need not apply, but what is that to Newman? He is safe and secure. Then his world slides out of focus. Too vain to be willing to get glasses as his eyesight deteriorates, he tries to hide his myopia. Unfortunately, he hired a woman who clearly looked Jewish, but his eyesight was too poor to pick up on the stereotype. He is reprimanded by his boss. The eyeglasses he finally gets accentuate his facial features in such a way that many people assume he is Jewish. He is asked to move to an office where he will be less visible, and he resigns in protest. Meanwhile, back in his gentile neighborhood, changes are taking place. A Mr. Finkelstein has moved in and opened a candy store. A group of vigilantes make sure that Finkelstein - and the presumptive Jew, Newman - are made to feel uncomfortable. Throughout the ordeal,Newman's own values and assumptions are shaken to the core as he confronts racists neighbors and his own wife. Miller captures the anguish of Newman in a way that reminds me of the memoir, "Black Like Me." As he experiences what it feels like to be marginalized, he is forced to reassess every part of his life and his thoughts.

Before coming across this book, I was not aware of the prejudice that faced Jews in America during World War II and the years before the war. The idea of the book is an interesting concept. Lawrence Newman is mistaken for a Jew because of his glasses. Even though he is actually a Gentile, he endures anti-semitic prejudice. The story has two serious flaws that take away from the overall story. Lawrence's wife, Gertrude, is foul and annoying women. Arthur Miller seems to create most of his female leads with great flaws. I desperately wanted Lawrence to just tell her to shut up. The other flaw is the passive nature of Lawrence. I wanted him to stand up for himself. The issue in the story is not so much anti-semitism as it is Lawrence's extremely passive nature. It is almost predictable that he does not get angry enough to strike back until after he gets beat up and there is nobody around. The flaws written into the characters take away from the serious issue addressed in the story. While Miller is to be commended for raising the issue, he failed to make a serious statement about it. In other words, it lacks focus. The book claims to be Miller's most controversial work, but it never fully attacks the issue. Finkelstein, an actual Jew, is most compelling character because he is real and has something to say. He fought back, making him the only character that the reader can identify with. Certainly this is not Miller's best work. Death of a Saleman is one of my favorites stories. This story is solid, but fails to meet expectations.

This book was an insightful account of anti-semitism during WWII in the United States, specifically in the boroughs of New York City. Arthur Miller has once again written a piece where every sentence and paragraph is artistically weighted with nuance and symbolism. The character, through a happening of circumstances, is forced to face the social cruelty in his world of which he himself is a part. At some point he has to choose where he stands and what kind of person he wants to be. This is where Miller is at his best in digging deep into the very essence of one's character.

"Focus," by Arthur Miller, was written during WWII, when there was widespread anti-Semitism in America and a holocaust was taking place in Europe. For a non-Jewish person to be taken for a Jew because he "looked" Jewish in his new glasses must have been quite a shock as well as a revelation to the main charcter. As the story progresses, the reader becomes increasingly aware of what the hatred toward Jews engendered as the protagonist suffers the consequences of his appearance. There are those who perpetrate, those who standby, and those who suffer. At the end, there is only the question. Why?

A case against wearing glasses (and anti-Semitism).

Compelling and brilliant

Interesting story...first learned of Miller's novel when re reading Phillip Roth's "I Married a Communist".

Not a well known novel here in UK. A fascinating topic.

A very poorly written,predictable, piece of written garbage. Avoid like the plague. Why this was ever published is a mystery to me.