Why Portnoy’s Complaint Matters

Philip Roth's 1969 novel Portnoy's Complaint made an important contribution to the genuine inclusion of Jews in mainstream American society. Through its comic structure and content it presented a pathway for Jewish and non-Jewish Americans alike to gain needed perspective on the psychological impact of stigmatized Jewishness, which had peaked in America in the first half of the twentieth century. In this respect, Portnoy's Complaint shows how comedy can contribute to processes of social inclusion.