The Conversion of the Jews

Roth employs the symbol of light throughout “The Conversion of the Jews.” Light often represents knowledge, clarity, understanding, and—in a religious context—holiness. In the opening conversation between Ozzie and Itzie, Ozzie focuses on God’s miracle of creating light in the creation story. He says, “But making light…I mean when you think about it, it’s really something” (313). Ozzie’s fixation on light continues as he observes his mother’s candle-lighting ceremony. He focuses on the flame until his eyes become glassy with tears like his mother’s. Ozzie’s escape from his classroom to the roof of the school is a literal journey from darkness to light, symbolizing Ozzie’s self-realization. In his first few moments on the roof, Ozzie has an existential crisis followed by a moment of calm and clarity when he surveys the scene from his elevated vantage point. The “conversion” moment occurs after a noticeable change in the light of day. The narrator says, “The light took an unexpected click down and the new darkness, like a gag, hushed the friends singing for this and the mother and rabbi chanting for that” (323). The story concludes with the image of a halo, a ring of light surrounding the falling protagonist.