Murderers by Leonard Michaels
"Murderers" is a poignant coming-of-age story set in the late 1940s, narrated by a young Jewish boy living in the tenements of New York City. The narrative explores themes of adolescence, curiosity, and the complexity of moral choices against the backdrop of a city rich with experiences and challenges. As the narrator grapples with recent family deaths, he seeks adventure with friends, leading them to spy on a rabbi and his wife from the rooftops. Their voyeuristic escapade takes a tragic turn when one of the boys accidentally falls to his death, prompting intense feelings of guilt and shame among the group.
The story delves into the interplay between innocence and the harsh realities of life, highlighting how a moment of curiosity can lead to devastating consequences. It also reflects on the cultural and religious dynamics of the time, particularly through the portrayal of the rabbi and his wife. As the boys are sent to a summer camp, the narrator is left to confront his internal darkness and the weight of their actions. "Murderers" invites readers to reflect on the complexities of youth and the repercussions of seemingly innocent decisions.
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Murderers by Leonard Michaels
First published: 1971
Type of plot: Impressionistic, coming of age
Time of work: The late 1940's
Locale: New York City
Principal Character:
The narrator , a man recalling a summer in the 1940'sMelvin Bloom , ,Arnold Bloom , andHarold Cohen , his friendsA rabbi His wife
The Story
"Murderers" is a first-person recollection of a crucial summer in the late 1940's when the unnamed narrator was a young teenager. The narrator is of Polish Jewish descent, living in the tenements of New York City. The recent deaths of some family members, immigrants who never left their neighborhood once they settled there, prompt him to seek adventure by exploring the city. He takes subway rides to exotic locations—sports stadiums, night club districts, amusement parks, and beaches—in search of novelty and excitement. One afternoon he meets three of his friends, Melvin and Arnold Bloom and Harold Cohen. Harold tells him that the rabbi is home, and eleven-year-old Arnold suggests that they go up to the roof. The reader soon understands that spying on the rabbi and his wife from a nearby rooftop with a view of their apartment is an activity that the boys have engaged in many times before. All wait for the narrator to decide for them what to do. He assents and the boys begin to run.
To reach their perch, the boys must climb a steel ladder up the side of a tenement building to the ledge of its steep roof, holding on with fingers and feet to keep from sliding off. From there they have a magnificent view of the city—its great bridges, buildings, landmarks, and monuments. They also have a clear view of the young bearded rabbi and his attractive young wife. The wife's head is shaved, for religious reasons, but this also allows her a great measure of creativity and allure, for she has several wigs of different colors and hairstyles, which she has varied to great effect in the past. This particular day, she is a blond. The rabbi and his wife put a record on the phonograph and begin to dance to the sound of a big band orchestra of the 1940's. He is boldly naked and cavorting; she is demure and seductive. The boys watch in fascination as the rabbi and his wife dance erotically and begin to make love.
Harold Cohen, with only his feet keeping him precariously on the slanted, slippery roof, starts to masturbate with both hands. The narrator is terrified by Harold's action. Melvin Bloom frees one hand and uses the other to tap the beat of the music on the narrator's head. Arnold Bloom squeals and squirms as the rabbi and his wife experience ever higher peaks of ecstasy. As the couple reach climax, Arnold slips and falls from the roof to his death. The other boys scream and begin to scramble down the ladder. The rabbi's wife hears and then sees the boys, and the rabbi runs to the window and shouts at them, calling them "murderers." The boys continue their frantic descent down the side of the tenement, while the rabbi shouts out their names.
Soon afterward, at the rabbi's insistence, the boys are sent to a summer camp in New Jersey, operated by World War II veterans. The emphasis in the camp is on outdoor sports and strict discipline. The boys feel shame and regret, particularly the narrator who, at night, listens to the owls and feels the darkness both outside and within.