Goodbye, Columbus

The story centers in the Bronx where Neil Klugman lives with his aunt and uncle, setting a working-class urban backdrop. Exclusive social spaces appear at the Old Oaks Country Club in Purchase, New York, highlighting a gulf between Neil’s world and Brenda Patimkin’s privileged circle. Brenda’s life in the Radcliffe milieu introduces collegiate affluence and social expectations, while later scenes shift to Boston and university settings, underscoring cross-regional differences in wealth and culture.

💰 Class Divide

The narrative hinges on the clash between Neil's working-class roots and Brenda's nouveau riche upbringing. Private clubs, family wealth, and propriety create barriers to authentic connection. The romance unfolds against a backdrop of social expectations that prize status over personal choice.

🎓 Education & Identity

Brenda's Radcliffe schooling exposes competing identities: intellectual aspiration versus traditional behavior. The contrast with Neil's Rutgers background emphasizes how education and social circles shape self-perception and choices. The couple’s divergent worlds probe what it means to belong.

💔 Love & Choice

Their affair navigates passion and risk, including questions about premarital sex and pregnancy. Parental influence and the weight of reputation constrain personal desire. The eventual confrontation—culminating in a painful decision—tests whether love can outlast social pressure.