Sons By Chaim Potok: Summary

Potok first introduces the theme conflict of tradition versus modernity at a baseball game. This baseball game represents a war between the Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish religions. Reuven’s coach refers to this game as a battle, “No heroes in this war… I want live soldiers, not dead heroes… Just keep our side of this war fighting” (Potok 17). In this hostile and unfriendly environment where they first meet, Danny Saunders tells Reuven, “I told my team we’re going to kill you apikorsim this afternoon” (Potok 18). During the final period of the game Danny hits a ball that strikes Reuven in his eye, which sends him to the hospital, for several days. Danny goes to the hospital and apologizes to Reuven; they subsequently become friends. Reuven realises that this friendship with Danny is going to be difficult

Danny has to break through the restrictions of his tradition to find this information that is at odds with Hasidic practices. Reuven understands this conflict between Danny and Reb about secular education and how David Malter “seemed to appear in all of thisㅡas if he were conspiring behind Reb Saunders’s back to contaminate his son” (Potok 166). The fact that Danny has to keep his visits to the library secret shows the conflict between the old Hasidic customs and the new secular world that Danny is embracing. Danny realizes that to fit into the secular world he will have to sacrifice some parts of his tradition including his appearance. His father asks him whether he will keep his customary Hasidic facial hair, when he goes to school to become a psychologist, “When you go away to study, you will shave your beard and earlocks… He nodded his head slowly” (Potok 287). Danny is willing to change his appearance to fit into the secular world, but is also willing to hold onto his beliefs. This appears to diminish the conflict between tradition and modernity, at least for