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Shelly Salzman
Marcia Umanoff is a literature professor at Columbia University. She lives in New York with her husband, Barry. Marcia is outspoken in her opinions, especially her support for society’s increasingly relaxed attitudes toward sex and her condemnation of the Vietnam War. The Swede finds Marcia’s need to constantly voice her opinions irritating, especially since (to the Swede at least) those views lack nuance, perspective, and compassion. Marcia and Barry are among the Levovs’ guests at the dinner party that takes place over the final section of the novel, and Marcia plays a critical role in the book’s final scene. After a drunk Jessie Orcutt violently stabs Lou Levov in the face with a fork, Marcia—rather than express concern or upset at the scene—laughs heartily. Marcia’s glib disregard for Lou’s wellbeing and for the social boundary Jessie has crossed in attacking him reflects the broader chaos that has overtaken society in the years of protest and civil disorder that characterized the late 1960s.
Marcia Umanoff Quotes in American Pastoral
The American Pastoral quotes below are all either spoken by Marcia Umanoff or refer to Marcia Umanoff. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 8
Quotes
“But degrading things should not be taken in their stride! I say lock them in their rooms if they take this in their stride! I remember when kids used to be at home doing their homework and not out seeing movies like this. This is the morality of a country that we’re talking about. Well, isn’t it? Am I nuts? It is an affront to decency and to decent people.”
“And what,” Marcia asked him, “is so inexhaustibly interesting about decency?”
The question so surprised him that it left him looking a little frantically around the table for somebody with an opinion learned enough to subdue this woman.
It turned out to be Orcutt, that great friend of the family. Bill Orcutt was coming to Lou Levov’s aid. “And what is wrong with decency?” Orcutt asked, smiling broadly at Marcia.
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Chapter 9
Quotes
Yes, the breach had been pounded in their fortification, even out here in secure Old Rimrock, and now that it was opened it would not be closed again. They’ll never recover. Everything is against them, everyone and everything that does not like their life. All the voices from without, condemning and rejecting their life!
And what is wrong with their life? What on earth is less reprehensible than the life of the Levovs?
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Marcia Umanoff Character Timeline in American Pastoral
The timeline below shows where the character Marcia Umanoff appears in American Pastoral. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3
...she needs somewhere to stay in the city, she can stay with the Barry and Marcia Umanoff, family friends of the Levovs.
(full context)
Chapter 8
...the motions at dinner, which includes—in addition to the Levovs, the Swede’s parents, and the Orcutts—Marcia and Barry Umanoff and Sheila and Shelly Salzman. It’s only been a few hours since...
(full context)
Marcia Umanoff, meanwhile, is a literature professor in New York. She’s “a difficult person” with nonconformist...
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Dawn, for her part, suspects Marcia of being responsible for harboring Merry after the bombing. She cites Marcia’s connections with anti-war...
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...and Lou have seen it). His son and daughter-in-law are “intelligent, educated people,” after all. Marcia laughs and adds that intelligence “doesn’t annihilate human nature.” She shocks the Lou further when...
(full context)
...and throw away the key. Whatever happened to “decency?” Lou is shocked into silence when Marcia bluntly suggests that “decency” is boring. After a pause, Bill Orcutt replies, “And what is...
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The Swede listens to the ongoing fight and wants to tell Marcia to just cut it out already—arguing with Lou will just invigorate him. Dealing with Lou...
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Chapter 9
...a boundary fundamental to civilized life.” Jessie missed Lou’s eye by less than an inch. Marcia remarks on Jessie’s good aim for being so drunk. And then Marcia starts to laugh,...
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