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Emotional Enigma In Danny Saunders's The Chosen

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Danny Saunders presents an emotional enigma. On a surface level, his attributes appear clear, but as one examines deeper, his emotions take on a blurry existence. Reuven especially never seems to discern what Danny is feeling and why. This makes it an extraordinarily difficult task to assess the basic mold of Danny’s personality. When distilling him down, it is near impossible to go any deeper than the obvious points. Danny Saunders possesses a brilliant mind, and often feels passionately about his beliefs, but he is constantly searching for the solution to the pain in his life and the lives of others. The Chosen makes it quite clear that Danny has a brilliant mind. So brilliant, in fact that Reuven’s father calls him “a phenomenon.” “Once in a generation is a mind born like that.” (110) Danny’s photographic memory and instant recall allow him to have a …show more content…

Clearly, Danny is hurt by this silence and searches for a reason for the silence. Also, he wants to renounce his spot it his family’s Rabbinical dynasty, and is thus highly concerned in his brother’s shaky health. When these subjects are brought up, the book takes on a tone of either depression or panic. Danny appears as though he is searching inside himself for answers concerning his father’s silence and his brother’s sickness. When asked how he took the silence the book notes: “He didn’t say anything. But his face tightened” In conclusion, most people define Danny Saunders, like many prodigies, in connection with his mind. However, under that intellectual exterior, his emotions are the driving force behind his brain. As happens often, even his friend, Reuven, does not see the emotions behind his mind. Finally, the silence of his father has given him pain, but by experiencing pain he can have compassion for others in pain. He is constantly looking for the solution to pain, but that unfortunately must wait until after

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In the novel The Chosen by Chaim Potok, there are three important events that significantly put turns on Danny and Reuven’s friendship. The first important event occurs when Danny Saunders and Reuven Malter first meet each other at the baseball game. While playing the heated game, Reuven gets hit in the eye with a baseball that Danny has hit. The second event that is important is that, Reb Saunders, Danny’s father, puts a ban on Danny’s friendship with Reuven. The ban consists of Danny not being able to speak, see, or be within three feet of Reuven.

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He is taught to be exactly like his father when he becomes an adult and he is extremely observant. I was raised like Reuven and completely agree with his father’s approach of raising Reuven. I completely disagree with Reb Saunders way of raising Danny because it was essentially a “radical” way of

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In the historical fiction novel, The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, people from all different backgrounds in judaism, decide how they will choose to live their lives. Reb Saunders, the Rebe, raises Danny in silence while David Malter, raises Reuven as an orthodox Jew. Each at some point question their part in their religion and the world, struggling to accept the life they have. After crossing paths at a baseball game, Danny Saunders and Reuven Malter seem to both evoke daunting opinions, clearly condescending each other. When Reuven injures his eye, ending up in a hospital both their fathers, David Malter and Reb Saunders try to bring them closer.

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When they meet at the baseball field they judge each other based on rumors they have heard or by the actions of the team. Reuven thinks of them as the “whole snooty bunch of Hasidim” (Chosen 62). Reuven thought Danny was a malicious person because he knew that Danny purposely tried to hit him. But later when Reuven opened up to Danny and stopped being so judgmental, Reuven realized that Danny was kind and just needed a friend. When Reuven is hit with the baseball, there is a chance he might be blind.

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Reb Saunders is not understood by many because of the way in which he raises his son, Danny. Danny grew up in complete silence from his father. Reb Saunders would only speak to his son about the Hasidic religion. For Danny’s childhood and much of his young adult life, he had no one to turn to for advice on life. This style of parenting was not understood by Mr.Malter, who viewed it as a cruel way to raise a child.

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Reb Saunders looked exhausted and sickly. Reb Saunders talks to Danny through Reuven, never speaking to Danny. He then explains why he raised the Danny the way he did. Reb saw that his son had a brilliant mind, but had little soul in his father’s eyes. Reb wanted Danny to realize the immense suffering in the world so he could develope a great soul.

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Throughout The Chosen, Danny’s rebellious nature exposes itself in several places, including the books he reads and his father’s plans for his

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Danny’s father, Reb Saunders, is a tzaddik (a leader acting as intermediary between God and man) who is highly respected by the Hasidic community. He rarely communicates with Danny, except when discussing about the Talmud. Reuven grew up in a Zionist community, so he is unable to understand why Danny’s father is subjecting him to arbitrary teachings of the Jewish faith through silence. Even though Danny has been subjected to these trials for his entire life, he cannot understand why his father does this either. All he can do is tune in to the silence, because that is the only way he can connect with his father.

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Genuine friendships are excellent things to have. It’s nice to have somebody to confide in when you don’t know where to turn. In The Chosen, Reuven states that he “didn’t mean to offend you [Danny] or anything, I just want to be honest.’ ‘I want you to be honest’ Danny said.” (Page 119)

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Reb Saunders has declared since Danny’s youth that he would follow in his father’s footsteps to becoming a tzaddik for the Hasidic Jewish community. However, as Danny grows throughout the novel, he begins to gain his own perception on life, resulting in his decision of pursuing his own dream of becoming a psychologist. This prominent part of The Chosen can be compared to the song “Eye of the Beholder”, by Metallica, as the song essentially describes how life can be perceived differently by any individual. This relates to the conflict between Danny and Reb, as Reb initially only sees his perspective on Danny’s future career, which limits Danny’s freedom of being his own individual. Throughout the song, it states “independence is limited”, which relates to Danny before he was given the blessing to purse his own dream from his father.

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The first visit did not go well for Danny saunders due to Reuven representing a foolhardy behavior. “What the hell are you sitting here for? I thought you said you were going home!” “I came to talk to you ,” he said quietly. ”(page 62).

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The character feels an almost bittersweet sensation here due to his father not being there for him in times when he needs him. It is a tragedy that even though he is relieved that his health is in satisfactory condition, his father is not because of his own choices of an unsatisfactory

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Danny loves basketball and every time he steps out on that court, he plays with his whole heart. Nobody or nothing can take that away from him. He would do anything to play on the “all-star” basketball traveling team, but his dreams are crushed when he doesn’t make the team because he is supposedly too short. I find the relationship between Danny and his father very interesting. His parents are divorced so he doesn’t see his dad very often, but if

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