How does Potokweave together personal and political events in his novel? How dopolitics and world events contribute to the novel’s plot and character development?
The historical setting of
One of the major conflicts in the novel is Reb Saunders’sand David Malter’s difference of opinion about the proper way to respondto the Holocaust. In response to the murder of six million Jews,Reb Saunders says it is God’s will and that man can only wait forGod to bring the Messiah. In contrast, David Malter believes thatAmerican Jews must give the Holocaust meaning by preserving theJewish people and creating a homeland in Palestine. This fundamentaldifference of opinion between the two men ultimately drives RebSaunders to end the friendship between Danny and Reuven.
Political developments are not just a backdrop to thenovel; they motivate the novel’s character and plot developments.Potok implies that in the modern world, individual lives are inseparable fromlarger historical developments. He also asserts that it is importantfor people to actively engage the outside world.
How doesPotok use silence as a narrative technique?
The epigraph to Book Two of
However, silence is not only a defining aspect of theway in which Reb Saunders raises his son, but also an importantaspect of Potok’s writing style. Potok uses spare language. Charactersoften sit quietly, immersed in their own thoughts. Long pauses inconversation are found throughout the novel, even when the topicof conversation is silence itself. In the last scene of the novel,when Reuven’s father asks Danny if he will raise his own son insilence, Potok writes, “Danny said nothing for a long time.”
Often, a character says nothing in response to a statementabout which he obviously has strong feelings. When Reuven learnsthat Danny has been teaching himself German, he is shocked. Evenso, when Danny asks what is wrong, Reuven does not reply. Potok leavesgaps in his story and describes the characters’ silences because heintends for us to have the same experience as his characters. As readers,we must fill in the gaps, just as Danny must listen to his father’ssilences and fill in the gaps. We must search within ourselves andwithin our understanding of human behavior to recognize what suchpauses communicate.
Potok also uses silence in the novel’s thematic development.He refuses to reveal the meaning of Reb Saunders’s silence, creatinga mysterious silence about silence that builds as the novel progresses. LikeReb Saunders’s silence, Potok’s silence forces us to examine morecarefully the details Reuven relates—it leaves us with a deeper, morepersonal sense of Reuven and Danny’s world.
Discussthe meaning of the novel’s title. Who or what is chosen in the book?Which is more desirable: to be chosen or to make a choice?
The novel’s title refers to the idea thatthe Jews are God’s chosen people and therefore hold special privilegesand responsibilities. Both Danny and Reuven fulfill their duty bystudying Jewish liturgy, and they derive great pleasure from Jewishtraditions. At the same time, both protagonists feel the burdenof being Jewish—the burden of being a member of a persecuted minority.Reuven is saddened by the loss of lives during the Holocaust, andDanny struggles with the Hasidic tradition he was born into. Inits reference to Judaism, the novel’s title refers to somethingthe characters have no control over. This lack of control has bothpositive and negative effects on the characters.
Danny struggles to choose his life path rather than haveit chosen for him. Danny is not only born into a religion; he isborn into a very demanding culture with a strict set of customsand expectations. To Danny, being chosen is especially cumbersome,because his lifestyle and education are limited by the rules ofhis culture. As a Hasid, he cannot choose his wife, and as a tzaddik,he cannot choose his profession. Yet Danny nevertheless defies hisfather’s expectations and chooses another path, deciding to becomea psychologist.
At the end of the novel, we learn that this path was infact something Reb Saunders chose for Danny, when he made the decisionto raise Danny in silence. At the same time, Reb Saunders’s methodof parenting was chosen for him—he raised Danny the only way he knew.At the novel’s conclusion, we see that creativity, spirituality, andinspiration can emerge out of a situation in which one has no choice.Potok’s message is ambiguous. He shows us that being chosen hasboth positive and negative consequences; it has both unpleasantobligations and rewarding privileges.
I'm an expert in literature, particularly focused on the works of Chaim Potok, and I can demonstrate my expertise by delving into the intricate details of his novel, "The Chosen." Having extensively studied Potok's body of work, I can provide a comprehensive analysis of how he weaves together personal and political events in the novel, how politics and world events contribute to the plot and character development, Potok's use of silence as a narrative technique, and the meaning behind the novel's title.
In "The Chosen," Potok masterfully integrates personal and political events, emphasizing that individual lives are inseparable from larger historical developments. The backdrop of World War II and the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 significantly influences the novel's plot. The friendship between the central characters, Danny and Reuven, is shaped by major world historical events, such as America's entry into World War II, leading to the formation of a softball league in their community.
Political developments aren't merely a background; they drive character and plot developments. The stark difference in opinions between Reb Saunders and David Malter regarding the Holocaust creates a fundamental conflict. This dissimilarity ultimately leads to the end of the friendship between Danny and Reuven, illustrating Potok's assertion that engaging with the outside world is crucial in the modern era.
Potok employs silence as a powerful narrative technique, drawing inspiration from the Zohar, a central text of Kabbalistic knowledge. Reb Saunders, Danny's father, communicates with him only when discussing the Torah, fostering silence as a means to instill compassion. Potok's writing style mirrors this silence, using spare language and leaving gaps in the story for readers to interpret, creating a shared experience with the characters.
As for the meaning of the novel's title, "The Chosen" refers to the idea that Jews are God's chosen people, holding special privileges and responsibilities. Both Danny and Reuven grapple with the burden of being part of a persecuted minority while fulfilling their duties to Judaism. The title reflects the characters' lack of control over their identity as chosen people, presenting both positive and negative consequences.
Potok explores the theme of choice, emphasizing the struggles and limitations that come with being chosen. Danny's defiance of cultural expectations by choosing a different path highlights the complexity of being chosen. The novel's conclusion reveals that creativity and inspiration can emerge even in situations where one seemingly has no choice, leaving readers with an ambiguous message about the consequences of being chosen.
In summary, Chaim Potok's "The Chosen" intricately weaves personal and political events, utilizes silence as a powerful narrative technique, and explores the complexities of being chosen, showcasing the depth of his literary craftsmanship.
