From Jewish-American Princess to the Tikkun Olam: the Case of Herman Wouk’s Marjorie Morningstar.

TThis paper offers a critical reevaluation of Herman Wouk’s Marjorie Morningstar (1955), challenging readings that reduce the novel to a celebration of cultural conventionalism and stereotypes. It argues instead that Wouk presents a complex portrayal of American Jewish identity in the 1930s – a decade marked by rising awareness of the Holocaust and its profound impact on Jewish self-perception. The novel captures the reawakening of a long-dormant communal consciousness, previously eclipsed by the forces of assimilation. Through the protagonist’s journey from youthful rebellion to a thoughtful reconnection with her religious and cultural roots, Wouk explores the tension between modernity and tradition. This return is framed through Tikkun Olam – “repairing the world” – a central Jewish ethical principle grounded in personal responsibility and communal engagement.