Help on Portnoy's Complaint needed

[Ms Angelone]

hey there,

in one week i have an oral exam on Portnoy's Complaint. so im a little desperate now. I need help with the "Israel section" of the book. Of course i read a lot about the book already, but none of my books explain this part of the book suffeciently. My questions are: Why does he go to Israel? What does he hope to find? Why does he turn out to be impotent each time ? Why does he want to rape Naomi? What meaning has the fact that she looks like his mother? What kind of understanding does he reach?

Any kind of help is very appreciated !!!
If this is not the right place for my questions, then id be thankful to be referred to a website/ forum that might help me.

regards
Kai

[Modest Proposal]

Considering the proverb of teaching to fish and giving a fish, and considering also that I have little time this morning, I'll suggest what I suggest to my undergrad students:

Write down the questions on a piece of paper and keep it next to you as you read the section again. I know that students often dislike rereading but you usually SAVE time by doing it judiciously rather than just racking your brain.

Certain questions you should know however from the book as a whole though, right? His mother is inexplicably tied to his sexuality from the beginning, usually in the dilemma that his sexual impulse is at odds with his guilt--imparted by his mother--. I believe it is this dilemma to which the title refers.

As far as him going to Israel, think about the plight of Jews as it is evinced in the novel as a whole and the role of Zionism as both promising and illusive, what is Zionism at its most basic level? What is it that Portnoy really wants?

[ennison]

Roth is overrated. And if you haven't noticed that then youre just going to parrot back the trendy mantras of the strange middle class teachers who teach but cannot read.
The man is a buffoon.
Do not be overawed by your teachers.