Together they negotiate adolescence, family conflicts, the crisis of faith engendered. Savo shows an outside perspective from the highly educated, jewish population of the novel. Danny meets reuven at the library and reads from heinrich graetzs history of the jews, a history book that is uncomplimentary and not totally accurate, mr. Relationships in potoks the chosen essay 772 words. Reuven malter character analysis in the chosen litcharts. He is the author of nine novels, including the chosen 1967, the promise 1969, and my name is asher lev 1972, as well as three plays, three childrens books, and three works of nonfiction. In the chosen, chaim potok uses the relationship between danny saunders and reuven malter as symbolic of the greater social and political problems faced by american jews during the midtwentieth century, a time in which they faced such tragedies as the holocaust and the tension during the establishment of israel as a secular jewish state. It follows the narrator reuven malter and his friend daniel saunders, as they grow up in the williamsburg neighborhood in brooklyn, new york, in the 1940s. His father would like him to become a professor, but reuven wants to be a rabbi. But unlike danny, reuven can enter the secular world while still retaining his jewish identity.
He led his followers out of russia to the united states to escape physical persecution by the secular authorities. In the chosen by chaim potok, in this novel by chaim potok there are many profound themes that slowly develop as each page is read and new situations arise. As a bestseller, it established his popular reputation. Reb saunders personifies the hasidic rebbe from rabbi, or teacher and personifies strict, traditional, orthodox judaism. The chosen is the story of reuven malter, a modern orthodox teen, and danny saunders, a hasidic teen, who meet for the first time on a baseball field in new york. The other, danny saunders, is named in the opening sentence where it is also made clear that the ensuing story will be their story.
The chosen book by chaim potok official publisher page. Like danny, reuven, the narrator of the chosen, is an orthodox jew. But danny has been secretly going to the public library every afternoon, where reuvens father, david malter, has been recom mending secular books for him to. Characters reuven malter characters reuven malter potok chooses reuven to narrate the chosen, even though the novels central conflict is dannys desire to break away from his obligation to inherit his fathers position as tzaddik. Reuven malters development in the chosen by chaim potok. It follows the narrator reuven malter and his friend daniel saunders, as they. Reuven ends up in the hospital where the surgeon removed glass from his eye. The the chosen quotes below are all either spoken by reuven malter or refer to reuven malter. A later novel, davitas harp, in which reuven malter appears as a minor character, revolves around a young girl caught. To help create these vivid ideas, point of view, imagery, metaphors. The main characters of this fiction, classics story are reuven malter, danny saunders.
Danny is the brilliant son and rightful heir to a hasidic rebbe, the young men form a deep, if unlikely, friendship. He can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable though its quantity may be. Character profile for reuven malter from the chosen. But unlike danny, reuven can enter the secular world while still retaining his jewish. What does it mean to have to suffer so much if our lives are nothing more than the blink of an eye.
The chosen is a 1981 american drama film directed by jeremy kagan, based on the bestselling book of the same name by chaim potok published in 1967. After smashing reuvens glasses with a line drive to the face, danny initiates a friendship that changes both their lives. Reuven malter and danny saunders, the 15yearold protagonists, grow up in the same neighborhood. The promise brings the reader into the lives of reuven malter and danny saunders as adults whom i first met as boys in the chosen. He tells his story in the first person, through the eyes of reuven malter, the teenage son of david. The chosen by reuven malter and danny saunders 1191. Reuven is a traditional orthodox jew who lives with his father in a.
One of the most emotional scenes from chaim potoks the chosen is when reuven goes with danny saunders to talk to his father. Thus reuven is thoroughly acquainted with western secular tradition. The chosen, published in 1967, was actually his second novel. My name is asher lev and i am the clay soon joined my queue of potoks books, all of which are extremely wellwritten and filled with fascinating information presented in novel form. The differences of parentism in chaim potoks the chosen. The chosen chapters 14 summary and analysis gradesaver. When i started reading the chosen, i was rather disappointed. He can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable though its quantity may be insignificant.
Set in brooklyn, new york, in the 1940s, the chosen explores the friendship. The narrator of the novel and one of its two protagonists. Dannys father is a hasidic religious leader called a tzaddik. I learned a long time ago, reuven, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. Well, when a character in one book talks about a character in another book. The chosen chaim potok, 1967 july 6, 2007 by marsena konkle. Though theyve lived their entire lives less than five blocks from each other, reuven malter and danny saunders exist in very different worlds. Tony savo the boxer reuven meets while in the hospital, mr. It read like a runofthemill pop fiction work for at least 90 pages. The chosen is one of potoks most famous works, for both its eloquent writing and its addressing of pressing issues for jewish people. The malters russian housekeeper and cook who tends the house for reuven and his father. The character of reuven malter in the chosen from litcharts the. Well, when a character in one book talks about a character in another book, thats a metafictional moment. In the chosen, the book is told by reuven malter though first person.
Reuven malter, 15, plays baseball for his yeshiva team in brooklyn. What are some traits that describe reuven malter and danny. Reuven comes from a modern orthodox community that appreciates much that modernity has to offer. Actor max wolkowitz tells us about his character reuven malter in the chosen. Danny has a great mind and wants to use it to study psychology, not become a hasidic tzaddik. The chosen is the story of reuven malter, a modern orthodox teen, and danny saunders, a hasidic teen, who meet for the first time on a. Pdf the chosen book by chaim potok free download 304 pages. It was distributed by analysis film releasing corp. The novels narrator and protagonist, reuven grows up over the course of the novel, starting as fifteen year old and ending as a college graduate.
Reuven blends easily into both his secular jewish faith and his typical american teen life, while dannys conservative hasidic clothes and appearance make him stick out in any crowd. Reuven is a traditional orthodox jew who lives with his father in a brownstone apartment in brooklyn. The talmud is called the supreme source book of jewish religious law. The father of reuven malter, david malter is a more secular jew who serves mainly to offer historical perspective on jewish culture and a broader viewpoint on hasidism to contrast with reb saunders absolute conviction in his faith. Reuven malter, an orthodox jew, and danny saunders, a hasidic jew, meet. Reuven is also the narrator of the story, during which he matures from being a boy without much knowledge of the world into a young man capable of making choices that will shape his adult life. Study 30 terms the chosen study guide flashcards quizlet. Reuven bobby malter, son of a rabbi, teacher, and scholar, meets danny saunders, son of a hasidic rabbi, on the baseball field. The chosen is divided into three books, all narrated by reuven malter in the past tense. After a couple of misses, danny hits the ball straight into reuvens eye. The promise, published two years later, continues the story begun in the chosen. Reuvens father, david malter, urges reuven to become friends with danny because the talmud the book of jewish holy law says the two things. Potok chooses reuven to narrate the chosen, even though the novels central conflict is dannys desire to break away from his obligation to inherit his fathers position as tzaddik.
When danny saunders school plays reuven malters, the hasids are determined to show the. Get everything you need to know about reuven malter in the chosen. But the jewish circles within which they travel could not be more disparate. Ive had this copy since i was in junior high, evidenced by the hesitant cursive on the first page announcing my maiden name. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. Danny tells reuven that the picture of hasidim in graetzs account is totally alien to what he knows but is distressing nonetheless.
Reuven works well as a narrator because we share his position as a curious outsider looking in on the unfamiliar, secret world of. It begins with a description of the novels primary setting, williamsburg, brooklyn, new york, a predominantly immigrant neighborhood where danny saunders, our hero, and reuven live with their respective fathers. The promise brings the reader into the lives of reuven malter and danny saunders as adults whom i. The book has been awarded with edward lewis wallant award 1967, national book award finalist for fiction 1968 and many others. Danny attends his fathers hasidic yeshiva, but he reads secular books in secret at the. Brilliant young men from rival yeshivas, reuven and danny first meet on a. A sequel featuring reuvens young adult years, the promise, was published in 1969. The fathers of reuven malter and danny saunders create the central conflict of the chosen by chaim potok. Even though the elder malter is religiously observant, he encourages reuven to explore nonreligious thought. The influence of their fathers, one a teacher and the other a rabbi, influenced their life paths without actually determining them.
Reuven malter is our narrator, and, as we discuss in povnarrative voice, he is. Historical circumstances, religious realities, and child rearing practices equip each of the fathers with opinions that are based on their perception of god. Their improbable friendship teaches them that the differences. Interestingly, though, reuven wants to become a rabbi, while danny, who is expected to become a rabbi, does not. Some characters, such as reuven and david malter, believe that this deprivation is a cruel and inexplicable way of raising a child. Reuven malter in the play, reuven appears as a teenager and as an adult.
Malter believe it is natural for danny to break his fathers rules and read forbidden books. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. A sequel of sorts to the chosen, although this book stands quite well on its own, the promise is the story of reuven, a young rabbinical student, who befriends michael, a troubled young man who eventually has to be institutionalized under the care of reuvens friend, danny. The chosen, set in brooklyn during world war ii and the years immediately following, is narrated in the first person by reuven malter, one of the main characters. Silence in the chosen in the book the chosen by chaim potok, there are many situations where silence between characters is present. Despite their differences reuven is a modern orthodox jew with an intellectual, zionist father. Perhaps you can tell by the worn cover of this book that the chosen is a favorite of mine. Reuven malter and danny saunders, who have made an unlikely but very deep friendship, weather many personal crises together. Both boys are orthodox jews who live in brooklyn, new york during the mid1940s. The chosen inflective and forward personalities in chaim potoks the chosen, two contrasting characters are introducedreuven malter and danny saunders. While reuven is forwardspeaking his mind, danny saunders shows a stark contrastan inflective soul, listening to silence, and growing from it.
He is an orthodox jew living in williamsburg, brooklyn with his father, david malter, and a housekeeper, manya. Is reuvens father respectful of the beliefs and authority of rabbi saunders. Danny and reuven s metafictional moments are intimately related, which cleverly comments on danny and reuven s connection to each other, and the nature. Sign me up to get more news about literary fiction books. The chosen by chaim potok scholastic books for kids. He observes the ten commandments and attends a jewish parochial school, or yeshiva, where his father teaches. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 304 pages and is available in paperback format. Every book on your english syllabus summed up in a quote from the office. An ordained rabbi, he served as an army chaplain in korea and received his phd in philosophy from the university of pennsylvania. According to david malter, why should reuven and danny become friends. Why does danny saunders pick david malter books for danny to read in the library. Reuven malter is first of all an 1 orthodox jewish boy and the son of an orthodox jewish talmud scholar.
Books and authors top teaching blog teachers tool kit student activities the teacher store. Potok chooses reuven to narrate the chosen, even though the novels central. Chaim potok, in his novel, the chosen, alludes to aspects of his own childhood, education, and career to reveal and further characterize both reuven malter and danny saunders. Reuven malter is a fifteenyearold orthodox jewish boy, the son of david malter. On that day, reuven had been called from his usual position to pitch. He is a boy that needs freedom and will rebel against his father because of his bright mind. Danny tells reuven that he goes to the library to read books on science and literature. In 1940s brooklyn, new york, an accident throws reuven malther and danny saunders together. For his education, danny goes to his fathers yeshiva a kind of. The novel revolves around the main character, reuven malter and his friendship with a boy named danny saunders. Reuven malter is the son of modern orthodox jew and teacher david malter.
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