The Struggle in Chaim Potok's My Name is Asher Lev
analytical Essay
2200 words
"If you were a genius in mathematics, I would understand. If you were a genius in writing, I would also understand. If you were a genius in Gemorra, I would certainly understand. But a genius in drawing is foolishness, and I will not let it interfere with our lives. Do you understand me, Asher?" (Potok 136). The struggle begins for young Asher Lev, a talented artist who tries to convince his father and the rest of his family of his artistic ability, when his father refuses to recognize his talent. Set in a tightly knitted Jewish community in Brooklyn, Chaim Potok successfully depicted a young boy torn between his orthodox Jewish tradition and his passion for art in his best seller My Name is Asher Lev. Asher Lev knew from a young age that he was destined to draw. Unfortunately, his friends and family simply discarded his gift as foolishness or mere childishness. His struggles were so great that he became a virtual outcast. The cost of being an artist was so immense as to affect the life of Asher Lev in profound ways.
In the beginning, Asher's family saw his talent as a hindrance because they fear that he might break the Jewish tradition that included traveling for the Rebbe. As Reb Aryeh Lev's only son, people expected Asher to continue his father's work. When Asher's talent began to emerge, they saw it as a rival to their Jewish tradition. Asher was never interested to travel for the Rebbe. His art was his world and anything outside that world was dust. Therefore, Asher struggled to keep his gift amidst cries of frustration from his family members and friends.
Reb Aryeh Lev, his father, becomes Asher's main antagonist. Asher's father expressed his disgust by calling Asher...
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...ks almost killed him, he survived long enough to paint his "Where do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?", one of his masterpieces. Gaugain also hated the missionaries which came to Tahiti to clean it up and later moved to the Marquesas Islands. These are some examples of struggles famous artists endured for the sake of their art. Life was never easy for these renowned artists but they persevered and in the end it did pay off to them and to the world of art. Although Asher Lev's struggles may seem many, his perseverance did pay off and his art was indeed worth it.
Works Cited and Consulted:
Abramson, Edward A. Chaim Potok. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1986. 2-59.
Merkin, Daphne. "Why Potok is Popular". Contempoary Literary Criticism. Vol. 2. Feb, 1976. 321-322.
Potok, Chaim. My Name is Asher Lev. New York: Fawcett Crest, 1972.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chaim potok depicts a young boy torn between his orthodox jewish tradition and his passion for art in his best seller my name is asher lev.
- Analyzes how asher's family saw his talent as a hindrance because they fear that he might break the jewish tradition that included traveling for the rebbe.
- Analyzes how reb aryeh lev, his father, becomes asher's main antagonist. he is disgusted with his art and becomes bitter about his son’s persistence to prove him wrong.
- Analyzes how asher struggled with his father, his mother, and his mythic ancestor. the rebbe and the mashpia were his authoritative figures, but he didn't want them to have authority over his life.
- Analyzes how the relationship between asher's father and mother took a downward turn as they struggled to be good parents.
- Analyzes how asher struggled with the idea of stalin and how he had the writers killed in russia.
- Analyzes how asher struggled with school. he was uninterested in his academic classes, received poor grades, and his classmates were cruel to him.
- Analyzes how asher found little family support for his troubles, which forced him to seek solace in his surroundings. when his father decided to uproot his family to vienna, he fought to prevent that happening.
- Analyzes how asher struggles to be an artist and an observant jew at the same time. he was firmly admonished by jacob kahn when he started to wear his payos or side curls behind his ears.
- Analyzes how asher struggles to explain his art to his conservative jewish community. the yeshiva education was inadequate to educate them about art.
- Analyzes how asher lev struggled with his fame and notoriety, and his family's acceptance to his art. his identity became a factor in his struggle to be an accepted jewish individual.
- Explains that asher lev struggled with various things to pursue his career, but his art was definitely worth it. if he blocked out his gift, the entire world of art suffers.
- Explains that any art, fine or applied, requires some sort of sacrifice, such as time, strength, sweat, pain, and blood. many artists risk relationships with their family members and friends.
Related
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- Rivkeh Analysisanalytical essayThey care his feelings and devote their best effort to protect him. They try to minimize the influence that will hurt him. Nevertheless, they still have differences on raising Asher due to their dissimilar characters. Aryeh disagree with Asher for doing arts. Once Asher leaves from the school in the middle of the day and disappears until night. Rivkeh is furious and so worried about him. When Aryeh comes back from travel, he composes some rules for Asher which including he must go home immediately after the school is over and not allow him drawing. “If you were a genius in mathematics, I would understand. If you were a genius in writing, I would also understand...But a genius in drawing is foolishness, and I will not let it interfere with our lives. Do you understand me, Asher?” (141) Aryeh does not approve art and even forbid it. In contrary, Rivkeh engages Asher’s interest in art. She sometimes asks Asher if he makes new drawings these days and let Asher draw herself. She admires some of the drawings. Aryeh and Rivkeh have their own ways and opinions on educations of Asher. Though some of their concepts are different even contradictory, they hopes Asher to be good and
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how asher's parents, aryeh and rivkeh, are not doing ordinary jobs, but they have similar approaches to educate their son.
- Analyzes how aryeh disagrees with asher for doing arts. rivkeh is furious and worried about him.
427 wordsRead More - Asher Levanalytical essayJacob Kohn teaches Asher how to become a great painter, cautioning him what he is getting into. As Asher becomes Asher Lev the painter, instead of the son of Reb Aryeh Lev, his father becomes curious and wants to go to one of his shows. Aryeh wants to see some of his work but refuses to go if there are nude paintings.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates the story of asher lev, a jewish boy from brooklyn, who's talent is painting. he struggles with inner conflict between his religious upbringing and his extraordinary god-given gift.
- Analyzes the conflict between asher and his family, and the hatred towards his father, even though he is a good man and respected in the community.
- Explains that asher doesn't get much encouragement from other people until he meets the world famous jacob kahn, who becomes his inspiration, his teacher, and his link to the great work of art.
- Analyzes how jacob kohn teaches asher how to become a great painter, cautioning him what he is getting into.
537 wordsRead More - My Name is Asher Levanalytical essayFor instance, in My Name Is Asher Lev , Asher is unsure whether or not the responsibility of pleasing the important people of his life and community is more important than making himself happy. In order for Asher to make others happy, he must sacrifice his one desire of being an artist. After attempting to do so, he concludes that being an artist is a greater priority in his life, because can not meet the needs of all the people that are important in to him in his life. Asher’s mother has no objections of his desire to draw, and is often encouraging him, which late in the novel leads him to become an artist. One example of his mother influencing him, she takes Asher, at a young age, on walks to several places, like the park. At these places Asher is able to draw different images, helping him find a hobby that he loves and that will later become his life. Another place his mother takes him to is the art museum. There they speak and learn about art, which Asher is later influenced by the paintings that are on display in that museum, and he often copies famous paintings. Another example, his mother is constantly asking Asher questions about his art, showing signs of interest. For instance, when she is ill and does not speak to her as often as she once did, she asks, “Asher?... Asher, are you drawing pretty things? Are you drawing sweet, pretty things? ...You should make the world pretty, Asher. Make it sweet and pretty. It’s nice to live in a pretty world” (Potok, p.17-18). By speaking to Asher about art when she is so sick and has other things on her mind shows him that she enjoys his art and that it is important.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that one faces many responsibilities that could be taken upon, causing a person to struggle to find which responsibility is more important in his life.
- Analyzes how asher's mother encourages him to become an artist, and he is influenced by the paintings on display in the museum.
- Analyzes how asher's father wants him to stop drawing completely by constantly calling art "foolish" and "from the sitra achra".
- Analyzes how asher learns valuable lessons from jacob kahn, which leads him to contradict both his parents.
- Opines that it's beneficial for asher to live his life in a manner that pleases him, making him satisfied for attempting to fulfill his most desired goals
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chaim potok chooses extreme icons and symbols of secular life, such as art, judaism, hasidim, and the rebbe to intensify the contrast between them.
- Analyzes how potok sets up my name is asher lev to make the two worlds of judaism and secularists conflict.
- Analyzes how the rebbe and jacob kahn play unique roles in the story. jacob was once again in tune with judaism, until the war, in which he was saved.
- Analyzes how asher's family has worked for the rebbe for generations. the two characters are opposed, with separate and conflicting goals.
- Analyzes how chaim potok uses the extremes of two opposite worlds in the book to thicken the plot and write about the differences.
- Analyzes how potok's choice to use extreme scenarios to mold the characters aids the story line.
1138 wordsRead More - Asher fears his father's reaction more than his mother's reaction for it is his father that disapproves of Asher drawing in the first place. The father appears to be the one who should be feared the most. Other characters suggest this, for example, Asher's teacher who says,"What will your father say if he saw this?" in regards to the picture of the Rebbe Asher drew in his Chumash. His mother is more supportive of Asher and just wants him and his father to get along. After finishing their journey for the Rebbe, she says " I want you and your father to be friends", The te...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the tension between asher and his father is evident throughout the story.
- Analyzes how patriarchal figures in asher's early childhood give him advice about painting against jewish tradition, which leads him to compose the cruxifixion paintings and disrespect for jewish concepts.
- Analyzes how asher lev paints against the values of his family and community, disobeying the rebbe, the mashphia, his mythic ancestor, and his parents.
- Analyzes how asher disobeys his mother's advice to draw with passion. the community of jews, as well as goyims, is acknowledging his rebellion and individuality.
- Analyzes how asher's art is an ultimate form of disrespect towards his parents and perhaps the jewish community.
1543 wordsRead More - Tibetan Thanka Paintingsexplanatory essayBeing an artist was not automatically hereditary and any talented adolescent boy could join a studio as an apprentice. The training period each child underwent was usually extensive and demanding:
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the preparation of the materials and their application was crucial for the painting's execution, but also for its use in practice and its survival.
- Explains that tibetans believed that quality in paints, base fabrics, and frames—among other materials—enhanced the spiritual worth of a thanka.
- Explains that there are several types of compositions in religious thankas: narrative, a main figure in its pure realm, repetitive depictions, and lineages.
- Opines that art, like religion, was a part of one's dharma, one of the many elements that uphold life. if life is constant search for truth, beauty cannot be divorced from life
- Explains brzostoski, john, the riverside museum collection of tibetan art.
- Describes the principals of tibetan art, illustrations and explanations of buddhis iconogrpahy
- Explains that rigpa is the pure, pristine nature of the mind, taken from a lecture by vic mansfeild.
- Explains that tibetan thanka paintings are a wonderful example of the interconnectedness of religion and art.
- Explains that tibetan thanka artists, monks and professionals, work within the confines of religious tradition.
- Explains that tibetan buddhism requires that its thanka painters be "tantric initiates" and that the artist must be of high moral quality and know the holy scriptures exceptionally well.
- Explains that artistic styles can be distinguished from within the intricate development of tibetan painting.
- Explains that the wrathful divinity is one of the most recurrent themes in the art of tibet.
- Explains how the tibetan iconography used in thankas is incredibly precise because of art's relation to religious practice.
- Explains that thankas possessed the ability to "grant blessings" in a variety of ways, including physical contact between the devotee's body and the image.
- Explains that tibetan thanka paintings are often used in the buddhist religion for visualization meditation (sadhana).
- Explains that thanka paintings were not completed until they were consecrated, and the deity's presence was invoked in a variety of ritual settings.
- Explains that when looking at thanka paintings, it is important to let go of cluttering thoughts and approach the work while in a state of rigpa.
- Explains the visual "events" that occur when viewing tibetan thanka paintings. line's basic nature is all encompassing and fluid.
- Opines that tibetan thanka paintings and all tibetan art are unique in that their entire purpose and creation revolves around the buddhist religion.
- Cites jackson, david, and janice. tibetan thangka painting, methods and materials. ithica, new york: snow lion publications, 1988.
- Opines that reynolds, valrae, and robert a. f. thurman are s of worlds of transformation, tibetan art of wisedom and compassion.
- Explains that they have run across many versions of spelling for the word thanka, and will use it throughout. yogic- a buddhist discipline aimed at training consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquillity.
4378 wordsRead More - Modern Versus Traditional Views in Chaim Potok’s The Chosenanalytical essayModern Versus Traditional Views in Chaim Potok’s The Chosen Chaim Potok’s The Chosen shows how people with traditional ideas view the world differently than those with modern ideas. For example, David Malter has modern views of his faith, whereas Reb Saunders cannot let go of traditional practices. Also, Reb Saunders and David Malter have different methods of raising their children. Finally, David Malter believes in Zionism, whereas Reb Saunders wants to wait for the coming of the Messiah to preserve his religion. Such differences can cause similar faiths to seem very different.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chaim potok's the chosen shows how people with traditional ideas view the world differently than those with modern ideas.
- Analyzes how david malter's modern ideas conflict with reb saunders' traditional practices. david wants his son, reuven, to learn english subjects and become a mathematician.
- Analyzes how reb saunders and david malter raise their children reflecting the conflict between tradition and modernity in the story.
- Analyzes how david malter's support of zionism, which is a modern practice, conflicts with reb saunders' traditional view of the world.
- Analyzes how modern ideas cause one to stray from tradition that is in his or her heritage, but new ideas are always emerging, and change is generally good. two families in the story view the world differently because of tradition or modernity.
578 wordsRead More - Chris Van Allsburgopinion essayAs a young boy Chris Van Allsburg enjoyed drawing. He loved to sit down and put his imaginative ideas to paper for his own viewing pleasure. In school and with his family he was not encouraged to spend so much time drawing and painting. Since he was a boy, he was encouraged to participate in sports more often. Chris Van Allsburg abandoned his passion for drawing and went along with the pressures of his family and friends. He would not discover his passion for a few more years.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that chris van allsburg is one of the most intriguing authors and illustrators of children's books. his unique style captivates children and adults alike.
- Explains that chris van allsburg enjoyed drawing as a young boy. he was encouraged to participate in sports, but abandoned his passion for drawing and went along with the pressures of his family and friends.
- Describes how chris van allsburg rediscovers his love of art at the university of michigan, where he majored in fine arts, and received a degree in sculpture from the rhode island school of design.
- Explains that chris van allsburg's big break as a children’s book writer came from his wife, who invited him home for dinner and showed him some of his illustrations. he was immediately impressed with his drawings and convinced him to venture into writing.
- Narrates how he first published the garden of abdul gasazi in 1979, which received a caldecott medal award. he followed up with wonderful books like the mysteries of harris bur.
- Explains how chris van allsburg gets ideas for intriguing tales. he starts with a picture, then asks himself questions about the characters and the events occurring around them.
- Opines that they could use the mysteries of harris bur*censored* to introduce creative writing to their class.
- Compares just a dream and ben’s dream to illustrate chris van allsburg's style of storytelling.
- Analyzes how the polar express and two bad ants dealt with faith in different ways.
- Opines that chris van allsburg's writing style, accompanied with the talented illustrations, makes for a great book.
1362 wordsRead More - The Characteristics Of Race And Gender: After Ferguson Canedyanalytical essay“After his second-grade class created self-portraits last year, I noticed that he was the only one not hanging on the classroom wall. His teacher explained that his portrait was ‘a work in progress.’ The
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how race and gender are the main features that define someone. after ferguson canedy talks about how her son is afraid to accept that he is african american.
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- Analyzes how canedy is a caramel brown skin tone woman trying to keep her son from racism, just like chung. her in-laws and friends are in the same boat.
- Compares canedy and chung's concerns about racism affecting their children.
- Explains that racism is a major issue even if it’s by accident or on purpose. trayvon martin was shot to death by neighborhood watch george zimmerman while he was walking back from the convenience store.
- Analyzes how chung felt insecure with people saying racist comments around her young children. she can let it go unchallenged without failing them as a parent.
- Explains that trayvon was in greater danger because of his gender society classifies black men and young boys as threats to the white communities and even their own.
- Analyzes how latinas are stereotyped as housemaids, housecleaners, and mexicans. the griffin family's youngest son accuses consuela of stealing his play money.
- Analyzes how thomas merton, an american catholic mystic, poet and social activist, once said, "identity is something more than your features and something that you’re born with."
1504 wordsRead More - Papa, Please. The World Summaryanalytical essayWhen Aryeh came back home from Europe, he was dismayed by his discovery of his son’s goy drawings. He regarded art as a “waste of [Asher’s] life” and is ignoble to their religion which caused Asher to justify his will to draw. As a father, Aryeh wants to do what’s best for Asher and does not want his son to be a goy. He tries to direct his son to follow in his own footsteps as an emissary for the Rebbe, but he did not consider that his son had found his purpose in life. Focused on his son’s studies and the path that he should take that Aryeh did not recognize that his love to travel for Rebbe was the same as his son’s ardor for art. Every time Aryeh discovered that his son is drawing, his rage blinds him from seeing his son’s gift. By denying Asher’s passion, Aryeh doesn’t fully comprehend his son and is pushing away from him. Later this hurts his family, especially affects his wife who is being torn between father and son. Although he did made an attempt to try to understand Asher by asking him to explain some of the concepts the critics were writing
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the quarrel between aryeh and his son reveals a conflict between art and religion.
- Analyzes how the quarrel between aryeh and his son reveals a conflict between art and religion.
- Analyzes how asher's mythical ancestor symbolized his scholarly background and how it holds him responsible to take that path.
629 wordsRead More