Chaim Potok emphasizes the importance of family loyalty and love in his book, The Chosen. Throughout the novel, readers learn how the presence of commitment within a household, or lack thereof, positively and negatively affects a family’s relationship. Loyalty acts as a major key to stability in any lasting relationship. Within a healthy family, parents exhibit loyalty by protecting, teaching, and unconditionally loving their children. Children return this act of love by obeying and wholeheartedly trusting their parents. The Saunders, Malter, and Merrit family all demonstrate their own ways of family loyalty.
To start, Reb Saunders loves his son very much, but displays his love in a way that the characters and even the readers do not understand. He raises Danny up in silence. At the end of the book, Mr. Saunders reveals his reasons for not regularly talking to Danny and explained, “‘He taught me to look into myself, to find my own strength, to walk around inside myself in company with my soul’ (284)”. Reb Saunder’s believed silence would help teach Danny to grow up with both a mind and soul.
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Potok writes about their emotions and actions in a way that brings them to life. Often when discussing topics of importance, Mr. Malter utilizes this time to not only bond with his son, but also to help prepare him for the world. Additionally, Mr. Malter and Reuven demonstrate loyalty when caring for each other in poor health,. Despite his busy schedule of teaching and writing, Mr. Malter made sure to visit Reuven in the hospital almost every day. Reuven also cared for his father when Mr. Malter continued to risk his health for his passion towards Zionism. “‘You really frightened me, talking that way. Are you sure you’re all right?’ ‘…You’ll go for the checkup?’ (218).” While having a strong family relationship, Mr. Malter and Reuven proved their powerful family loyalty to each