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Religion In The Chosen, By Chaim Potok

1162 Words5 Pages

Religion itself, is the belief in a superhuman or entity that guides us. It acts as a set of standards that affects our faith and ideas on morality, beliefs and the way to live our lives. In The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, it is clearly visible that religion affects people tremendously. Both Reuven and Danny are Jewish yet, they are divided due to religious differences between Hasidism and Orthodox Judaism, in Brooklyn, New York during the mid-1940s. With such differences in cultures, the boys face tensions caused by their limiting religion. And as displayed throughout the novel, Reuven Malter finds that his religion brings him comfort, whereas for Danny Saunders it causing limitations that he must face to overcome this restricting religion, so he can embrace what the world has to offer.
Reuven as well as his father, …show more content…

Reuven’s father teaches his son that there is much in the world to understand, between all peoples. When David brings his son a radio while he is in the hospital, he tells his son that, “The radio brought the world together” (Potok 52). And because of this, he refers to it as a blessing. His father is not one to accept things as they are and believe that it is purely by the word of God. After all, David Malter is a teacher. He uses scientific criticism to observe God’s Commandments (135). His father also makes Reuven aware of pain he can cause someone, and instead of reprimanding him he allows the words of the Talmud to guide him. David Malter refers to the Talmud in

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While Reuven is in the Hasidic synagogues, he sees how the Hasidic men treat Danny and Reb Saunders like their God. Reb Saunders Reuven about gematriya as a way of proving if he is worthy to become Danny’s friend. Reuven feels like he passed the test by pointing out a mistake in one of the gematriyot. The Hasidic

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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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1116 Words | 5 Pages

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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802 Words | 4 Pages

In the case of Reuven, David Malter was a Jewish teacher that taught sections of the Talmud. David wants Reuven to become a mathematician, but Reuven wants to become a priest. David influences Reuven’s decision in multiple ways. First, Reuven was born into Judaism. This means that the David Malter picked the religion that Reuven would believe in.

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569 Words | 3 Pages

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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478 Words | 2 Pages

Reuven found a new appreciation of his health since he could have gone blind. Another example of perception change from the novel is when Reuven realizes Danny isn't how he appeared to be. During the story, Mr. Malter says “Things are always as they seem to be, Reuven?”. He says this because Reuven told him that it seemed like Danny hit him deliberately.

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782 Words | 4 Pages

Although Reuven could have spent his time thinking and worrying about his own problems, he instead decides to focus, worry, and think about others in tough situations, especially Billy. Therefore, the kindness and concern he displays towards Danny and Billy greatly stand out in his

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179 Words | 1 Pages

This quote introduces one of the many themes that are shown throughout the entire novel-the contrast between people and their diverse ideas. In their antagonistic relationship, Danny is portrayed as a formidable opponent and a possible rival for Reuven. Even during their first meeting with one another, almost immediately, Reuven notices the obvious differences between him and Danny. For starters, Reuven is Orthodox whereas Danny is part of a different sect of Judaism, known as Hasidism. Despite their contrasting appearances and beliefs, the two boys are also similar in many ways; they both play an important role in their softball teams including the genuine devotion they both have towards their own religion.

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1558 Words | 7 Pages

In his book The Promise Chaim Potok leads the reader on a heartbreaking journey full of spiritual conflict and decision. As a sequel to The Chosen, The Promise picks up with Reuven Malter, the main character and a Jewish man now in his mid-twenties, attending Hirsch University, a Jewish seminary in Brooklyn, New York. Reuven keeps his friendship with Danny Saunders, whom he met on a baseball field during his teenage years and later went to college with, even though they now go their separate ways as Reuven becomes a rabbi, and Danny practices psychology. During the summer Reuven dates Rachel Gordon, the niece of Abraham Gordon, a man excommunicated from the Jewish society, and meets Abraham’s son, Michael, a stubborn teen with a mental issue. Also, over the same summer Reuven’s father, David Malter, wrote a controversial book about the Talmud.

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1310 Words | 6 Pages

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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When it comes to knowing and learning the religions of the world one must approach them with a critical mind. One cannot simply just believe every religion and know have their own view points. David Van Biema presents his ideas about Christianity and Jesus in “The Gospel Truth?”. Van Biema’s main point is about how “Matthew, Mark, Luke and John… is notoriously unreliable,” . Van Biema writes about how one cannot be completely sure about whether to believe if Jesus actually said what is written in the bible, he continues to say that Jesus may even be an “imaginative theological construct” .

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1015 Words | 5 Pages

In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie Crawford, a woman who is in search of her authentic self and for real love goes through a journey where she survives and triumphs through three different marriages. Janie's meaning of love is defined during the pear tree vision she experiences. Hurston exposes Janie to the erotic feeling of pleasure of a relationship at the age of sixteen. As Janie "saw a dust bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom" (Hurston 11), Janie’s women hood started beyond this point as she came to a revelation “so this was a marriage” (Hurston 11), she translated the feeling of pleasure she felt from the pear tree into what a relationship of marriage is and meant to her. Hurston takes us

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1420 Words | 6 Pages

Instead of selfishly wanting to experience all of the world that he can, the Reb is content to make an impact on the lives of those he encounters while he is still here. For example, Mitch may have just forgotten about his old rabbi and his faith if the Reb had not asked Mitch to do his eulogy. The Reb decided to invest in Mitch and trust him to carry on his memory, especially by doing his eulogy. He must have had a lot of faith in Mitch to trust him in this way. This could have also been the Reb’s way of “touching everything”; he takes chances on people whenever her can in hopes of them remembering him and his

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251 Words | 2 Pages

In The Stranger, the crucifix appears to represent Christianity, a religion that Monsieur Meursault refuses to believe in or accept. Additionally, it represents rational beliefs that the magistrate attempts to thrust upon Meursault. He wants Meursault to accept God so that his sin will be forgiven. However, Meursault rejects the notion that his life have any significance or rational explanation.

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723 Words | 3 Pages

day for God was different than what is associated with a day today. God perceived “time very differently-even thousands of years must pass quite quickly for him” (Kugel 49). God did not create the world in what we consider 6 days today, and Adam did die on the day he disobeyed God. The story of the original sin and the disobedience between Adam, Eve and God and their punishment teaches a valuable lesson that God’s promises are certain.

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