▁two , ▁Roth ▁tells ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁Paul ▁and ▁Lib by ' s ▁court ship ▁and ▁the ▁early ▁years ▁of ▁their ▁marriage . ▁ ▁They ▁meet ▁while ▁both ▁of ▁them ▁are ▁students ▁at ▁Corn ell ▁University . ▁ ▁Paul ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁child ▁of ▁Jewish ▁parents ▁in ▁Brook lyn , ▁NY . ▁Paul ' s ▁father ▁has ▁failed ▁at ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁business es ▁but ▁Paul ▁is ▁recognized ▁as ▁a ▁smart ▁and ▁gift ed ▁child . ▁ ▁Lib by ▁is ▁the ▁child ▁of ▁Catholic ▁parents . ▁Ne ither ▁Paul ▁nor ▁Lib by ▁is ▁very ▁serious ▁about ▁their ▁religious ▁background s ▁and ▁have ▁no ▁problem ▁cour ting ▁each ▁other ▁because ▁of ▁it ; ▁however , ▁both ▁sets ▁of ▁parents ▁are ▁ups et ▁by ▁this . ▁Over ▁Christmas ▁break ▁Paul ▁tells ▁his ▁parents ▁about ▁the ▁eng agement . ▁ ▁They ▁react ▁poor ly ▁and ▁end ▁up ▁convin cing ▁Paul ▁to ▁speak ▁with ▁his ▁two ▁un cles . ▁One ▁of ▁them , ▁his ▁Uncle ▁Ash er ▁is ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁b ach elor ▁whom ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁family ▁p ities ▁because ▁they ▁don ' t ▁think ▁he ▁can ▁find ▁someone ▁to ▁marry . ▁Paul , ▁however , ▁lear ns ▁that ▁Ash er ▁just ▁does ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁be ▁married . ▁ ▁Ash er ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁long ▁series ▁of ▁sexual ▁enc oun ters ▁while ▁single ▁and ▁has ▁no ▁desire ▁to ▁be ▁married . ▁The ▁bl unt ▁language ▁of ▁Ash er ▁is ▁the ▁first , ▁and ▁perhaps ▁the ▁most ▁dominant , ▁example ▁in ▁this ▁novel ▁of