Mr. Patimkin Character Analysis in Goodbye, Columbus

Mr. Patimkin is Brenda, Ron, and Julie’s father, and Mrs. Patimkin’s husband. Mr. Patimkin comes from a similar background to Neil’s family, growing up working-class and Jewish. However, Mr. Patimkin was able to build a successful business and gain a great deal of wealth over the course of his life. This allowed him and his family to cast aside many markers of their Jewish heritage and become assimilated into wealthy white American culture. This includes moving out of Newark and into the affluent suburb of Short Hills, buying expensive clothing and cars, and doing activities like attending country clubs and playing tennis and golf. Mr. Patimkin understands that his children have become assimilated, as he notes that they don’t understand Yiddish words or aspects of Jewish culture. However, Mr. Patimkin views this as a point of pride and a marker of his own success. Unlike other characters who fixate on their nostalgia for the past, Mr. Patimkin appreciates the success that he has attained in the present and also hopes for more progress in the future. At the end of the novella, when Mrs. Patimkin discovers Brenda’s diaphragm, he writes a letter expressing his disappointment in Brenda and his hope that she will learn from her mistake. This fuels her feeling that she must break up with Neil in order to be accepted by her family.

Mr. Patimkin Quotes in Goodbye, Columbus

The Goodbye, Columbus quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Patimkin or refer to Mr. 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

“I had my nose fixed.”
“What was the matter with it?”
“It was bumpy.”
“A lot?”
“No,” she said, “I was pretty. Now I’m prettier. My brother’s having his fixed in the fall.”
“Does he want to be prettier?”
She didn’t answer and walked ahead of me again.
“I don’t mean to sound facetious. I mean why’s he doing it?”
“He wants to…unless he becomes a gym teacher…but he won’t.” she said. “We all look like my father.”
“Is he having his fixed?”
“Why are you so nasty?”
“I’m not. I’m sorry.”

Related Characters: Neil Klugman (speaker), Brenda Patimkin (speaker), Mr. Patimkin, Ron Patimkin

Page Number and Citation: 13

Explanation and Analysis:

Money! My father’s up to here with it, but whenever I buy a coat you should hear her. “You don’t have to go to Bonwit’s, young lady, Ohrbach’s has the strongest fabrics of any of them.” Who wants a strong fabric! Finally I get what I want, but not till she’s had a chance to aggravate me. Money is a waste for her. She doesn’t even know how to enjoy it. She still thinks we live in Newark.

Related Characters: Brenda Patimkin (speaker), Neil Klugman, Mr. Patimkin, Mrs. Patimkin

Page Number and Citation: 26

Explanation and Analysis:

Here you need a little of the gonif in you. You know what that means? Gonif?”
“Thief,” I said.
“You know more than my own kids. They’re goyim, my kids, that’s how much they understand.”

Related Characters: Mr. Patimkin (speaker), Neil Klugman, Brenda Patimkin, Mrs. Patimkin, Ron Patimkin, Harriet Ehrlich

Page Number and Citation: 94

Explanation and Analysis:

“Ronald, get him the silver patterns.” Ron turned away and Mr. Patimkin said, “When I got married we had forks and knives from the five and ten. This kid needs gold to eat off,” but there was no anger; far from it.

Related Characters: Neil Klugman (speaker), Mr. Patimkin (speaker), Ron Patimkin

Page Number and Citation: 95

Explanation and Analysis:

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 and Citation: 109

Explanation and Analysis:

I looked hard at the image of me, at that darkening of the glass, and then my gaze pushed through it, over the cool floor, to a broken wall of books, imperfectly shelved.

I did not look very much longer, but took a train that got me into Newark just as the sun was rising on the first day of the Jewish New Year. I was back in plenty of time for work.

Related Characters: Neil Klugman (speaker), Brenda Patimkin, Mr. Patimkin

Page Number and Citation: 136

Explanation and Analysis:

Mr. Patimkin Character Timeline in Goodbye, Columbus

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Patimkin appears in Goodbye, Columbus. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

That night, Neil eats with Brenda, Ron, Mr. and Mrs. Patimkin, and Brenda’s 10-year-old sister Julie. Neil thinks Julie is very bright, that... (full context)

...Neil’s calf with her fingers. After dessert, they sit under an oak tree and watch Mr. Patimkin play basketball with Julie. (full context)

Mr. Patimkin grows tired playing with Julie and asks Neil to finish the game. Neil and... (full context)

Julie and Neil play, and every time she misses a shot Mr. Patimkin tells her to take it over. Neil tries to play his hardest to catch... (full context)

Self-Delusion and Fantasy vs. Self-Examination and Reality Theme Icon

...Neil will take over the Information Desk upstairs. Neil had also heard from his boss, Mr. Scapello, that when Neil returned from his summer vacation, he would be put in charge... (full context)

...how he likes her in a dress, but he doesn’t answer, and she departs with Mr. and Mrs. Patimkin and Ron. (full context)

...medals clipped to it. Neil notes that he has not yet seen a photo of Mr. Patimkin. (full context)

Mr. and Mrs. Patimkin continue to treat Neil kindly, and when Brenda suggests to her father... (full context)

That day, Mr. Scapello tells Neil that when he returns from vacation, Neil will take over the Reference... (full context)

...storeroom with all their old furniture from Newark in it, as well as $300 that Mr. Patimkin put aside for Brenda. Neil is dismayed by all the dust, wondering why the... (full context)

Just then, the phone rings. Mrs. Patimkin gets a message from Mr. Patimkin and says that she is too busy. She asks Neil if he would mind... (full context)

Neil pulls into Patimkin Kitchen and Sinks. Inside, he sees an office where Mr. Patimkin is shouting at Ron, who leaves to direct the men working in the warehouse... (full context)

When Neil enters the office, Mr. Patimkin is on the phone and instructs Neil to sit down. Mr. Patimkin is negotiating... (full context)

Mr. Patimkin leaves the office and tells Ron to let everyone go to lunch, even though... (full context)

At the wedding, Neil meets many of Brenda’s extended family members, including Mr. Patimkin’s half-brother Leo. At the reception, the band starts to play. Mr. Patimkin dances with... (full context)

Brenda, Ferrari, Mr. Patimkin, and Julie stop dancing, and Neil rushes over to Brenda. Ferrari whisks Julie away,... (full context)

...of the fluorescent lights in the room. He laments that he isn’t as successful as Mr. Patimkin, that he can’t even buy a car and wears out all of his shoes.... (full context)

...the good things that have happened to him on his fingers. He then wonders why Mr. Patimkin has so much success, while he has nothing, and he concludes it’s because Mr.... (full context)

...the phone or through letters. When Neil returns to the library, he is scolded by Mr. Scapello for his treatment of the older gentleman, but Neil manages to wriggle out of... (full context)

...that she’ll understand when she’s 23 years old. The next morning, Neil manages to get Mr. Scapello to agree to let him leave. (full context)

Brenda then reveals that Mr. and Mrs. Patimkin found out about her and Neil sleeping together over the summer, because... (full context)

Neil rereads Mr. Patimkin’s letter, and notes that he suggests that Brenda bring home her roommate Linda for... (full context)