In Philip Roth’s The Conversion of the Jews a typical pre-teen boy experiences a crisis of faith that affects an entire community. Oscar “Ozzie” Freedman is naturally questioning and occasionally critical, but he is driven by a respect for his family and faith. Despite his devotion he is admonished by his mother and his rabbi for challenging the hypocrisy that he perceives around him. At first Ozzie appears as impudent, but the author quickly establishes Ozzie as genuinely interested in understanding the nature of religion and God.
Ozzie’s inquisitiveness is evident in early in the story. Oscar is retelling his latest argument with Rabbi Binder to his friend Itzie. Rabbi Binder has told Ozzie that the conception of Jesus could not have occurred without intercourse. Itzie, being less mature than Ozzie, gets fixated on the rabbi’s use of the word “intercourse” while Ozzie ponders the creation of the universe. Oscar theorizes that if God can create the universe in six days then he has sufficient power to impregnate a woman without intercourse: “…I asked Binder if He could make all that in six days, and He could pick the six days he wanted right out of nowhere, why couldn’t He let a woman have a baby without having intercourse” .
Roth gives Oscar the unique ability to sniff out hypocrisy wherever it appears. This ability, though the sign of a keen mind, is also the source of most of Ozzie’s troubles: “The first time he had wanted to know how Rabbi Binder could call the Jews ‘The Chosen People’ if the Declaration of Independence claimed all men to be created equal. Rabbi Binder tried to distinguish for him between political equality and spiritual legitimacy, but what Ozzie wanted to know, he insisted vehemently, was different. That was the first time his mother had to come.
Ozzie’s internal spiritual conflict does not prevent his deep appreciation for his culture. Ozzie is deeply moved by his mother’s lighting of the Sabbath candles. He finds the moment sacred and wants it to proceed in silence. He muffles the telephone receiver and breathes quietly. He watches his mother light the candles and perceives her devotion: “Even when she was dressed up she didn’t look like a chosen person. But when she lit candles she looked like something better; like a woman who knew momentarily that God could do anything”.
Through Roth’s description of Oscar we can see a complex spirituality evolving. Ozzie is searching for spiritual understanding and rejecting religion by rote. He refuses to rush through his Hebrew readings because rushing sacrifices understanding. He again challenges the rabbi over the subject of Jesus’ birth and is accidentally struck by the rabbi during the confrontation. He flees to rooftop out of fear, but while he is there he questions his own existence, asking himself repeatedly “Is it me?” He challenges the rabbi’s authority and refuses to come down from the roof. At this moment Oscar realizes that he is in control of his destiny, that only he can choose his spiritual path.
Ozzie does not descend from the rooftop until his mother appears. She pleads for him to come down. He does, but before doing so he demands that the community below admits that God is capable of creating a child without intercourse. The congregation relents, not as a solid heart-felt conversion to Christianity, but as a way to ensure Ozzie’s safety. Ozzie wins a minor victory in that he admonishes his mother and his rabbi for punishing him when he questions God.
Roth uses the character of Oscar Freedman to show that religious dogma left unchallenged or unquestioned is not the same as spiritual devotion. Oscar is spiritually devoted. He believes in the infinite power of God. The rabbi, the crowd, and Ozzie’s mother are dogmatic. They believe in only what they have been taught about God without questioning or exploring the idea further. By giving Oscar the last name Freedman, Roth is expressing his personal belief that spiritual exploration correlates to freedom.
