Summary Of Chaim Potok's The Chosen

One reason that readers of The Chosen may believe that Danny would completely leave the Jewish faith behind when he leaves for Columbia University is that he associates Judaism with the relationship between him and his father. True, his father did not like Danny's enthusiasm for learning, and that's putting aside the fact that it was against the rules of Hasidism. However, even though he knew of Danny's visits to the library and his reading of psychology books, he did not force Danny to stop, or even discourage them. Danny would later understand that while his father did not encourage his learning, there was much more who could have done to prevent it, and this would eventually strengthen their relationship. Some may say that this would have

They know that Reb Saunders did this to teach his son compassion, and that Danny does not resent for him raising him in this way. In fact, he even appreciates it, and says that “if [he] can't find another way” (Potok 290), he will also raise his son in silence. The fact that he uses those words implies that he will indeed search for another way, meaning that even though he can see why his father would raise him in such a way, he will search for alternative ways to raise his son to be compassionate. The fact that he will be looking for alternative ways suggests that he will not be living as a Hasid, since he will not be bound by their ideas. Some may say that the fact that he would consider raising his child in silence proves that he would remain a Hasid, but they are forgetting that raising your child in silence is not strictly Hasidic. A terrorist may have been raised cruelly, but the fact that someone is raised cruelly does not mean they will become a terrorist, and the same is true for this. As a Hasid, Danny may have been raised in silence, but the fact that he may raise his son in silence does not mean that he will raise them to be a Hasid. As such, the way that he was raised has no impact on the faith he chooses to have during his time at Columbia and after except to make him open to other ways of living and raising his own