In the Garden of Beasts

A professor of history at the University of Chicago, Dodd wants the ambassadorship to Germany so he can have some free time finally to finish his book on the history of the Old South; he also wants to spend time with his accompanying family. Instead, Dodd finds himself mired in the German transition from democracy to dictatorship and the accompanying cruelties against German Jews. Dodd wants to help, but he’s not able to do much about the German descent into darkness. His term in office is a failure, and he doesn’t accomplish much writing for his book, either.

An intellectual at heart, Dodd chooses to forgo the lavish spending and parties of foreign diplomats in favor of a limited budget. Despite criticisms and mockery of his behavior in the media, Dodd stands by his decisions. Likewise, Dodd faces condemnation from his peers when he refuses to encourage discourse with the Nazis and actively speaks out against their violent behavior. Dodd is a man of integrity—an academic thrust into the political sphere. Though he doesn’t seem to belong in his position, he lands on the right side of history.