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Analysis of 'The Chosen' characters
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Plot Summary of The Chosen The action of The Chosen unfolds in the immigrant community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, against the backdrop of World War II. It is seen through the eyes of Reuven Malter, a boy who would appear to have much in common with Danny, for they are both brilliant, Jewish, closely tied to their fathers, and near-neighbors who live only five blocks apart. Still, they attend separate yeshivas and inhabit very different worlds. A baseball league is begun. When Danny Saunders’ school plays Reuven Malter’s, the Hasids are determined to show the apikorsim a thing or two and the competition is fierce. Danny’s murderous hitting is remarkable, but when Reuven comes to pitch he does not back away. A hard ball shatters his glasses and smashes into his eye, sending him to the hospital for a week. At his father’s insistence, Reuven permits the repentant Danny to visit him, and they become friends. Danny dazzles Reuven with demonstrations of his photographic mind, with the quantity of scholarly work he bears each day, and with the intellectual prowess of his English and Hebrew studies—qualities greatly revered in traditional Jewish culture. Danny’s revelations startle Reuven; he confesses he would rather be a psychologist than accept his inherited role as spiritual leader of his father’s sect. Reuven’s confessions surprise Danny; he reveals his desire to become a rabbi, though his scholar-father would prefer him to follow his talent and become a mathematician. Danny cannot understand how anyone would choose the very position he secretly wishes to reject. At a time when conflicts are churning within him, Danny finds Reuven as an empathetic listener who is highly intelligent yet safe—not a Hasid, but a Jew who follows orthodox religious traditions without rejecting the secular possibilities in the world around them. As the boys become friends, Reuven begins to learn about Hasidism. He learns that there are tzaddiks who were believed to be superhuman links between the people and God. In some sects it was believed that a leader should take upon himself the sufferings of the Jewish people. Such a leader is Reb Saunders. His ways and his teachings are the ways of seventeenth century Hasids and it is this role that Danny is expected to fill when he becomes the tzaddik. In the long initial visits that Reuven pays to Reb Saunder’s congregation to be approved as fit company for Danny, Reuven observes the way Hasidic philosophy permeates his friend’s life.
Three main character that he shows compassion through in different ways are, Reuven, Mr. Malter and Reb Sanders. To begin with, Reuven shows great companion for other, even in his teenage years. He demonstrates throughout the book that he really cares for others and that he takes their burden upon himself. He shows how he actually suffers with others with their hardships and he never only thinks about himself. For example, when Reuven learns that his little friend Billy did not get his eye sight back, the book says, “I felt myself break out into cold sweat.
In the book The Chosen the four main characters have different views on how children should be raised. Danny Saunders was said to be raised in silence. Danny was raised in silence in that communication was cut off between Danny and his father, except when they were studying Talmud. The reason Danny’s father did not speak to his son is because Rabbi Saunders wanted to have Danny think things through himself. Reb Saunders also wanted Danny to grow up in the same manner he himself was raised.
During the final conversation between Reb Saunders, Danny, and Reuven, Reb Saunders defends his method of raising Danny by noting that, “...I did not want my Daniel to become like my brother...Better I should have no son at all than have a brilliant son with no soul” (285). Reb Saunders assumes that if Danny were raised in silence, then he would obtain a soul unlike Reb Saunders’ brother who did not have one. Reb Saunders raises Danny in isolation due to his assumption that having intellect without a soul would make a person indifferent and uncaring. By only wanting what he presumes is most beneficial for Danny, Reb Saunders forms a barrier between him and a meaningful relationship with Danny. This approach of bringing up a child is the only one that Reb Saunders has previous knowledge and he realizes that, “..a wiser father... may have done differently. I am not... wise” (288). Once Reb Saunders understands the consequences of his irrational decision, it is too late to make amends. Silence strains their relationship and forces both Danny and Reb Saunders to become depressed and miserable. Despite raising Danny with good intentions, Reb Saunders feels remorse for not establishing an affectionate relationship with his son while he still had the chance. Furthermore, Reb Saunders yearns for Danny to become a tzaddik and tries fulfills his desire through restrained communication between his son. If Reb Saunders had created a lasting relationship with Danny then the same hope could have been achieved. For Danny to become a tzaddik without feeling compassion during his lifetime is difficult to demand. It may have been possible for Danny to develop the traits that his father requires of him if he was raised in a nurturing environment. Overall, Reb Saunders’ rationalization of his parenting technique is rendered useless as he comprehends what an ill-advised approach it
Each person has a distinct, identifiable personality. These personalities are the basis of who we are and how we live our lives. Growing up, these personalities are formed through associations and manipulations of the personalities of others. This is clearly evident in Mordecai Richler's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. In this novel, we follow Duddy Kravitz's life from early adolescence to adulthood. Throughout the novel, signs are given as to the development of Duddy's good and bad personalities. Even at the early stages, Duddy's uncle Benjy was the only one who could identify them and knew what the end result was going to be. Despite all this, we watch these personalities grow to the point where they are beginning to overpower each other and eventually, only one will remain.
Both have matured due to the influential events by one another. They will forever have memories of why they are the way they are today due to one another. These pivotal moments changed the course of their friendships, and their lives. Reuven’s view of others and his understanding of relationships will now effect any thoughts he has along those
...n charge of Melba’s safety while in Central High School. He was a white man that Melba actually trusted her life with. Even when the kids pushed, hit, and spit at her he told her that she was a warrior she had to fight to survive. He explained to her that he would not always be there right behind her to protect her; she had to begin to figure out how to handle the kids. Both Danny and her grandmother’s words of wisdom and encouragement kept Melba in tact.
book, and by the end of the book we feel like we know exactly how Perry feels, and we have a understanding of some of the hardships that the soldiers faced in Vietnam. In this book, Perry kills
Warriors of God by James Reston Jr. is a non-fictional view of the third crusade. This particular crusade spanned from 1187-1192, containing many gruesome battles and a lot of intense moments between Islam and Christianity. Reston supplies the reader with a little background to the third Crusade when he talks about the first Crusades happening since 1095. Reston gives a fairly impartial view of this holy war. He discusses the battles, politics, and emotions of the Crusade as an outside party and if he takes any side at all it is with the Muslims. He often speaks badly of King Richard and he speaks well of Saladin, the sultan. He portrays Richard as a greedy, anti-Semite, who is intolerable of other religions, while he shows Saladin as tolerant to the Jews, reasonable, and an overall good leader. Reston wrote this book mostly to inform readers about the third Crusade but also to add some of his own insights. His thesis was a little unclear but he stated that the Crusades were the most violent event in history all the way up to Hitler’s rein. Reston did a good job in proving this when he told of battles and then analyzed them. He told of a time when King Richard had twenty thousand Muslims executed and when Saladin had Reginald of Chatillon beheaded along with many other Christian prisoners.
During these hard times, Uncle Jewiir said “One step at a time..one day at a time. Just today-just this day to get through,” which reminded Salva of so many things. During the river crossing, Salva had a fear of crocodiles. Pesistence ppushed him to face his fears and continue the walk.In the middle of the walk to the camp, Salva watched his uncle get robbed and killed. Salva’s self-confidence diminished. On top of his insecurity, the group he traveled with complained on how the Salva was a waste to their limited food supply and abandon him. However, Salva realized, “There is no one left to help me. They think I am weak and useless. Salva lifted his head proudly. They are wrong and I will prove it.” When the group grumbled, he felt persistence to prove him them wrong. Somehow, the group’s grumbling and fussing helped him become stronger. He felt more persisted to prove them wrong of their actions and feelings. He was thinking that someday they’ll look at him as a person to look up to or a hero, not the young helpless little boy he was. Eventually, Salva pursued that dream. He became stronger and became a leader during his walks. When Salva became a leader, he was persisted on getting to his destination. “When Salva heard stories, he thought of Marial. He felt his persistence growing, as it had in the days after Uncle’s death. I will get us safely to Kenya he thought No matter how hard it is.” Salva’s thought showed no matter what happened, he would keep on moving. Even though the group before once doubted him, he wasn’t going to let that halt the goal, even for a minute.His thoughts about his family persisted him. Persistence helped him succeed in his
The story is concerned with the conflict between his conception of himself and the reality.
A boy who doesn’t stand up for himself, and a war that demands decency are two points Hosseini portrays to demonstrate the readers sense of moral values depicted in this book. Amir is taught many values to be a decent man, however when the situation presents itself for Amir demonstrate his teachings; Amir realizes how different he is from the ways of his father. Amir discovers his courage after many years of being a coward and feeling regret. The teachings of his father did sink in and Amir is now educated with the virtues of a decent man.
Dysart by all outward appearances should be perfectly content with his life as a well appreciated psychiatrist who has done his job well and has become successful for it but Dysart is not happy but instead describes himself as “desperate” and doubtful of his whole life and career. As Miller writes about a tragic figure who is “ready to lay down his life, to secure one thing- his sense of personal dignity”; Dysart is shown in the same light, no longer wishing to be tied down with “educated ideas” or “average thought”. These ideas had existed in Dysart’s mind before meeting Alan but came to a climax once Dysart realized that Alan was not in fact “the usual unusual” or one more “adolescent freak” that he appeared to be.
Danny is a Hassidic Jew, who believes that there should not be a homeland for the Jews that is established without the Messiah. Reuven, as a Zionist, believes that they should just establish Israel themselves and stop waiting. This distinction between the faiths is extremely obvious when Reb Saunders exclaims during dinner, “There must not be an Israel without the messiah!” Reuven’s father is the complete antithesis of Reb as he is passionate about the founding of Israel as a measure to prevent anti-Semitism. He is constantly going on speaking tours and writing articles to get the people of the world interested and pushing for the founding of the Jewish homeland. Reuven grows passionate about this too after he has been excommunicated by Reb and not allowed to talk to Danny when he goes out at night to help ship guns to Palestine. Hassidics and Zionists also differ in their reactions to the Holocaust. Reb Saunder responds to the Hassidic with, “… though God slayed me… still I trust in Him.” His faith does not change and he views it as God’s punishment for straying from their beliefs and traditions. Matler again has a completely opposite viewpoint of the events and says “We are survivors… we need to keep ourselves alive and cannot count on God for our help.” When he is making his grand speech in front of the people, he mentions how the only way for these events to happen
It is during these discussions that they begin to learn more about each other. "For the first fifteen years of our lives, Danny and I lived within five blocks of each other and neither of us knew of the other 's existence." (Potok 1). Danny tells Reuven about his secret reading in the library and the man that recommends books for him. The boys realize that the mysterious man is in Reuven’s father.
A novel unparalleled to any other during its time period, The Chosen by Chaim Potok introduced outsiders to the life of Hasidic Jews and modern Jews during the horror of World War II and the aftermath of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was not the only time in the history of the Jewish people when they were persecuted and oppressed. Starting long before the thirteenth century, the Jews were always looked down upon and victimized; however, the resentment from torment during the thirteenth century of the Jews had been carried to members of the Jewish sects in the mid-twentieth century. The distinct sects lashed out at each other instead of the world. That hatred carried from the 1200s through the 1950s fueled the revulsion between Danny Saunders and Reuven Malter, thus creating the conflict that fueled the entire novel. Understanding of historical events is crucial in comprehending the initial conflict affecting the two boys.