The Plot Against America: Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis

In June of 1941—six months after Lindbergh’s inauguration—the Roths drive to Washington, D.C. for a sightseeing vacation. Bess and Herman booked the trip while Roosevelt was still in office. After Lindbergh was elected, the Roths discussed visiting Niagara Falls and Canada instead, in order to check out Ottawa in case moving to Canada became necessary—in February of 1941, Alvin runs away from home to join the Canadian armed forces.

Alvin, orphaned at 13, was the Roths’ ward for seven years—but after growing frustrated with his job as a driver for the obnoxious millionaire construction mogul Abe Steinheim, whom Herman had hoped would be a positive influence on the rebellious Alvin, Alvin rejected Steinheim’s offer to pay for Alvin’s college education at Rutgers. Philip recounts the explosive, lengthy, week-long argument Herman and Alvin had when Herman learned that Alvin planned to reject Steinheim’s offer—a fight which Herman himself referred to as a “little war” within their family, but which forever changed its fabric when Alvin called Steinheim a “disgrace to the Jews” and fled to Canada.

Philip looks back even further, to the November 1940 election—which Lindbergh won in a landslide, earning 57 percent of the popular vote and 46 states. Pundits claimed many reasons for Lindbergh’s victory, citing Americans’ reluctance to elect a president to a third term and Lindbergh’s anti-war stance. When Lindbergh, weeks after his inauguration, traveled to Iceland to meet with Hitler and draw up a document known as the “Iceland Understanding,” guaranteeing America’s isolationist stance—and then flew to Hawaii to sign a similar understanding with two emissaries of Japan’s Emperor Hirohito—the U.S. became an unofficial member of the Axis Powers. In the aftermath of these meetings, American Jews became more worried than ever. 

Philip is frightened by his parents’ increasing agitation as well as Walter Winchell’s frequent broadcasts about potential locations in which the Lindbergh administration could, if it wanted to, construct concentration camps for American Jews. In response, Philip becomes increasingly invested in his stamp-collecting hobby. Philip even asks to take his collection on the upcoming trip to Washington, determined not to let the album out of his sight for fear of the “transformation” he saw in his terrible nightmare.

The Roths arrive in Washington. Almost immediately, they find themselves lost, surrounded by the very edifices of American history which they subconsciously hope will protect them from Lindbergh. A motorcycle police officer, seeing their out-of-state plates, offers to help get them to their destination. Herman happily offers the officer their hotel’s address, but Bess is nervous that the cop is leading them somewhere else and begins to cry. As they arrive at their destination safely, Bess apologizes to Sandy and Philip, claiming that she doesn’t feel she lives in a “normal country” anymore.

After setting their bags down, the Roths head back down to their car. Outside the hotel, a man who introduces himself as Mr. Taylor is waiting near their vehicle. He explains that he is a professional tour guide for hire and offers to drive them around the city, help them find places to eat, and offer detailed information about all the major monuments. In spite of Herman’s reservations about the cost of the daily tours (and Bess’s suspicions about the man's motivations), the Roths agree to hire Mr. Taylor. Together, they all set off for lunch and the Washington monument. When Mr. Taylor declares that Washington is regarded by many as the greatest president alongside Lincoln, Herman adds that FDR should be included as one of the greats—and that it’s a shame he was “turned […] out of office” by Lindbergh. Mr. Taylor does not respond.

As the Roths continue their tour of the Washington Monument, Herman continues extolling FDR and denigrating Lindbergh. Bess warns him to keep his voice down—and not to express such strong opinions to Mr. Taylor, who is essentially a stranger—but Herman insists that he won’t be silenced. As the group moves on across the National Mall to the Lincoln Memorial, Herman continues lamenting how the U.S. treats its greatest leaders. As they approach the monument, an elderly woman who overhears Herman’s remarks loudly states that she is grateful for President Lindbergh. When Herman expresses anger at the woman comparing Lindbergh to Lincoln, a man from the woman’s tour group calls Herman a “loudmouth Jew.”

Mr. Taylor quickly leads the Roths away from the other tour group into a small hall off the main chamber, where the Gettysburg Address is inscribed upon the wall. Herman laments hearing such words “in a shrine to a man like [Lincoln.]” Mr. Taylor starts trying to tell the Roths some facts about the monument, but Herman is depressed and irate. Herman suggests they return to the hotel for a nap before taking a nighttime drive to see the city all lit up at night. He assures Bess that they’ll all feel better after a rest. Before leaving the memorial, Herman urges Philip and Sandy to take a long look at the huge statue of Lincoln and enjoy the sight “every American should see”—but the boys cannot feel “the raptures of patriotism.”

Back at the hotel, the Roths enter the lobby to find their suitcases at the front desk. A manager informs them that he has packed their room up for them—the man who checked them in made a mistake. The room, he says, was being held for another family. He returns the Roths’ deposit and tells them there are no vacancies—they won’t be charged for the room or the bar of soap “missing” from their room. Herman is irate and demands to know what’s happening. The manager calls the police as Herman rails against the “fascists” who run America now. Mr. Taylor urges Herman to leave before the police come, but Herman insists on staying to tell the police what has happened—he wants them to remind the manager behind the desk of the words in the Gettysburg Address.

The police arrive and hear both sides of the story—but ultimately side with the hotel manager and urge Herman to take his family and leave. Defeated, Herman joins the rest of his family and Mr. Taylor outside. Mr. Taylor assures Herman that he’ll get them a room at a nearby hotel that’s just as nice. Just at that moment, Sandy points up at the sky: a low-flying plane is roaring over Washington. Mr. Taylor explains that President Lindbergh himself flies along the Potomac River every afternoon.

The Roths receive a warm welcome at the shabby new hotel where Mr. Taylor has arranged a room for them. Though their room resembles a tomb, and though the family must double up in twin beds, they all get a much-needed night’s sleep. In the morning, Mr. Taylor shows the Roths around the Capitol and Congress as well as the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress—he knows every detail about every place, and Herman admires the man’s smarts. Philip takes his stamp collection with him to each stop. After lunch, Mr. Taylor takes the Roths to Virginia to tour Mount Vernon. As Mr. Taylor talks about George and Martha Washington, Philip shows him a stamp he has of Martha—he is so proud of Mr. Taylor’s excited reaction that all his negative feelings about being Jewish in “Lindbergh’s Washington” vanish for the moment.

After a happy and restful day at Mount Vernon, the Roths head to a nearby cafeteria for a snack when another low-flying plane roars overhead. As men, women, and children stream into the streets, gossip spreads that it is not Lindbergh flying today, but instead his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The event, Philip feels, ruins their good time at Mount Vernon, because of the excitement it inspires in everyone but the Roths themselves.

That night, Herman invites Mr. Taylor to join their family for dinner at a nearby cafeteria. Over the meal, Herman talks to Mr. Taylor unreservedly about their family’s Jewishness and resultant dislike of Lindbergh, who is a “friend” of Hitler. Bess urges Herman, as she has been doing the entire vacation, to keep his voice down, especially when Herman begins extolling the things Walter Winchell says about Lindbergh’s nefarious plans for America’s Jewish population. Herman does not listen to Bees—and soon, a large, heavyset man approaches their table and announces that Winchell is a “loudmouth Jew” who is beholden to the British government.

Herman stands up to fight with the cruel stranger, but Mr. Taylor intervenes. The owner of the diner also  comes over to urge the heavy man to leave the Roths alone. The owner tells the Roths to eat and drink as much as coffee and dessert as they like on the house. Bess begs Herman to pay the bill so they can leave, but Herman insists on finishing their meal. Herman continues making small talk with Mr. Taylor, ignoring the provocations of the heavyset man who returns to his seat and continues saying cruel things about Jews. When Mr. Taylor tells Herman about working at Wabash College in Indiana, Herman sings a rousing song, “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away,” loudly enough for everyone in the diner to hear. Mr. Taylor applauds Herman. Bess, crying, tells Herman what a lovely singing voice he has.