Danny Saunders: Silence Made Him Stronger

Danny Saunders is a Hasidic boy with a brilliant mind, kind and compassionate heart, who struggles between his desire for secular knowledge and his escaping from his inherited position as eventual leader of Hasidic religious as a tzaddik.

Danny comes from a very strict Hasidic background. He is the son of Reb Saunders who became a rabbi in Russia and leads his followers to America to live a better life and no one would treat them different then other religious people. Danny attends a yeshiva school established by his father. They studied Hebrew couple good hours in the morning and English in the afternoon. Potok uses in details to describe the synagogue of Danny Saunders especially the first floor with “white walls, long tables and benches.” Danny’s room was at the second floor next to his father study room. Potok gives us an image how Danny lives and what it surrounds him. Danny gets involved in the ceremony bringing arguments sometimes word by word from other Talmud commentaries. After Danny’s father finishes his speech Danny was quizzed by his father. The questions were over what Danny studied over a week and sometimes over everything he studied so far. Not only that he was quizzed but also he needs it to discover his father mistakes. This was happening every week.

Danny wears the traditional side curls, skullcap, and a beard and is educated in Yiddish. Because of this he sees himself as a true Jew. He believes that the other Jewish are less religious and righteous. However, Danny becomes best friend with a Jew Reuven who is not looking like Danny. He met him at a baseball game that during the novel Reuven will have a big influence in Danny’s life. When we take a look at this scene we find different characters of Danny. He ...

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...an save him. After Reb Saunders explains why he chose to raise his son in silence, Danny understands why sometimes people are not like we think they appear. Through silence Danny finds what his role is and who he really is. After Reb Saunders gives him his blessing, Danny finds his freedom. He is free to explore the world. He cries a lot like something was out of his shoulder. His eyes are lighted and he is looking a lot taller. He even thinks that when he will have a son he will raise it in silence if “can’t find another way.”

In conclusion Danny becomes a mature young man with an open mind to see different ways to succeed in life. . He understands that silence made him stronger and undependable. He sees that there also suffering in the world and sometimes life can be full of surprises. He comes to understand who he really is and what his role in this world is.