Word: roth
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...lead character is in many ways a proxy for Roth himself. A neurotic Jewish writer, Zuckerman is plagued by the tensions of his past and his career and seeks through sex, analysis and literature the missing element in his life...
Zuckerman's desire to embrace humanity and combat stultifying forces continues to provide him with a source of artistic inspiration. He spends most of his time attacking the self-righteous hypocrisy of his foes, with much of the impetus for this feeling of inadequacy-and likely Roth's own self doubt-stemming from a welcome maturity in both character and author. Where once Roth's protagonists enjoyed a vicarious thrill while rebelling against religious and social mores, the rebellion seems to have lost much of its childish force...
...vivid similarities between author and protagonist often make it difficult to separate the fictitious from the actual. When Zuckerman's hated critic, Milton Appel, accuses him of capitalizing on the ethnic eccentricities of Teaneck, N.J. and the lower East side, we cannot help but think of Roth's own battles with critics and his New Jersey origins...
Nevertheless, much of The Anatomy Lesson is filled with witty dialogue and incisive reflections on human nature. Roth's of the constraints of both Jewish and Western culture--if overworked--are sharp and poignant. Perhaps more impressive is Roth's ability to elevate the commonplace into something almost sacred...
Zuckerman's desire to return to medical school point. The clever blend of comedy and wit combined with a climactic tragicomic graveyard scene--where Zuckerman unsuccessfully tries to come to terms with himself--in many ways make The Anatomy Lesson triumph over Roth's previous works...