Theme Of Friendship In The Chosen By Chaim Potok

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According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of friendship is “the relationship between friends.” However, there is no true way someone can truly define an actual friendship because every friendship goes through different obstacles. In the novel The Chosen by Chaim Potok, two unlikely individuals that would never be thought of as friends slowly create a bond of friendship that could never be broken. In the novel the theme of how friendship is important is revealed by the imagery, symbolism, and external conflict.
Potok uses vivid imagery to show a certain character's emotions.In addition, “Potok usesimagery of the eyes and eyeglasses to convey the times when a character is faced with a challenge that will result in him seeing the world …show more content…

The symbolism in the novel is represented by sight and vision. Sight and vision have affected both Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders throughout the novel. For example, in the beginning of the novel Malter suffers and eye injury by the hands of yet to be friend, Danny Saunders. This leads to Malter going to the hospital. When Malter leaves the hospital he becomes more aware of his surroundings and appreciates that he still has his vision. “The world jumped into focus and everything looked suddenly bright and fresh and clean, as it does on an early morning with the sun on the trees, and there was newness everywhere, a feeling that I had been away a long time in a dark place and was now returning home to sunlight”(Potok,Chaim 95). By Malters change of mind, this leads to him giving Danny Saunders a second Chance, which will lead the young men being friends. On the other hand, “The more symbolic interpretation of sight and vision is applied differently to both Reuven and Danny”(Nielsen,Sheila). Later on in the novel Danny Saunders eyes started to bother him. This leads to him getting glasses which did leave him uncomfortable. Since this is something he has never experienced before, the symbolic interpretation of this would be the fact that he will soon step out of his comfort zone. Because of this new change in his life, this will affect Both Danny Saunders and Malter

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