Goodbye, Columbus

by

Philip Roth

Leo Patimkin Character Analysis

Leo is Mr. Patimkin’s half-brother, whom Neil meets at Ron’s wedding. Leo is a light bulb salesman who laments that he is unsuccessful, and he’s particularly bitter at the contrast between his modest life and Mr. Patimkin’s success. Leo talks about how he can count the good things that have happened to him in his life on one hand, and he wistfully recounts those things to Neil. Neil observes that Leo could find happiness if he were more willing to take risks, but instead he is too fixated on the past, and as a result, he is too pessimistic about the present and the future.

Leo Patimkin Quotes in Goodbye, Columbus

The Goodbye, Columbus quotes below are all either spoken by Leo Patimkin or refer to Leo Patimkin. 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:
Relationships, Competition, and Power Theme Icon
).
Chapter 7 Quotes

Then he looked at me. “Whatever my Buck wants is good enough for me. There’s no business too big it can’t use another head.”

I smiled, though not directly at him, and beyond I could see Leo sopping up champagne and watching the three of us; when he caught my eye he made a sign with his hand, a circle with his thumb and forefinger, indicating, “That a boy, that a boy!”

Related Characters: Neil Klugman (speaker), Mr. Patimkin (speaker), Brenda Patimkin, Ron Patimkin, Leo Patimkin
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis:
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Leo Patimkin Quotes in Goodbye, Columbus

The Goodbye, Columbus quotes below are all either spoken by Leo Patimkin or refer to Leo Patimkin. 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:
Relationships, Competition, and Power Theme Icon
).
Chapter 7 Quotes

Then he looked at me. “Whatever my Buck wants is good enough for me. There’s no business too big it can’t use another head.”

I smiled, though not directly at him, and beyond I could see Leo sopping up champagne and watching the three of us; when he caught my eye he made a sign with his hand, a circle with his thumb and forefinger, indicating, “That a boy, that a boy!”

Related Characters: Neil Klugman (speaker), Mr. Patimkin (speaker), Brenda Patimkin, Ron Patimkin, Leo Patimkin
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis: