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Summary Of The Chosen By Chaim Potok

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In Chaim Potok’s novel The Chosen, two boys of different Jewish sects become unlikely friends. Danny Saunders and Reuvan Malter first meet on a softball field, playing on opposing teams. Growing up in secular New York is not easy for a Hasidic Jew, but for Danny it proves challenging. His father has grand plans for Danny to follow in footsteps, to become a rabbi. Danny not only does not want the responsibility of being a leader of his people but he is still searching for what he himself believes. Through all of this Danny exhibits concern for others, intelligence, and submissiveness. Danny shows concern for those around him, even those he might not know very well. When Danny sees hurting people around him, he feels concern for them. When Reuvan is in the hospital, Danny comes to visit him and says, “I’m sorry about what happened (Potok, 60.) Reuvan is in the hospital because Danny felt such hate for him that he hurt him; yet Danny feels bad and feels concern for Reuvan thus he goes to the hospital to see how Reuvan is doing. Reuvan, when Danny is talking about his brother being sick, says “I got the impression that he loved his brother very much.” (141) His brother is …show more content…

Danny has an incredible memory and capacity for knowledge. Reuvan’s father says that he gives Danny a book to read an then he returns two hours later, not only having read it but also having memorized it. Danny has a photographic memory, he glances over a page and remembers everything written on it. When confronted with the problem of interpreting a difficult passage of the Talmud, Danny gives his own interpretation of it and also the interpretation of two other commentators (113). Not only does he have an amazing memory, but Danny also has a very high level of understanding and ability to interpret. Danny has a powerful memory that helps him to learn quickly, and understands many things that normally a boy of his age would not

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902 Words | 4 Pages

Danny is a Hasidic Jew and Reuven is just a normal Jew. In chapter 6 Reuven’s father is telling Reuven about Hasidim, “They followed these leaders blindly. The Hasidim believed that the tzaddik was a superhuman link between themselves and God. Every act of his and every word he spoke was holy” (108). The tzaddik is just another way of saying Rabbi; to the Hasids, this is a god on earth and they make a sort of idol out of him.

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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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1084 Words | 5 Pages

Human is a paradox existence. In the novel The Chosen by Chaim Potok, a vivid example of the paradox was presented, as the conflict between old-world values and new-world values. Reb Saunders, an extremely complex, self-restraining character, represented the struggle of being a conservative orthodox of a parent in an evolving and liberal world. As the least understood person by the narrator, Reb’s image was filtered by the harsh judgement of Reuven, under the caring heart for his dear friend Danny. Thus for most of the novel, Reb Saunders appeared to be an extraordinarily limited character, who embodied the stereotypes of an intolerant religious fanatic and of a controlling and overprotecting father.

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478 Words | 2 Pages

In his novel The Chosen Chaim Potok uses vision as a motif to show the reader that someone’s perception of things can change. In the novel, vision symbolizes the ability to see the world. The importance of perception is shown throughout the book. One of the main examples of this is after Reuven leaves the hospital. He says that “everything looks different”, but he doesn't mean this literally.

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717 Words | 3 Pages

In Chaim Potok’s, The Chosen, Reuven does not change over the course of the book. Reuven allows his emotions to make him act and think rashly rather than learning more about the situation. In the early chapters of, The Chosen, Reuven makes assumptions on people without understanding what they may have been thinking. When Reuven is in the hospital after the softball game and his father comes to visit, they discuss Danny and him hitting Reuven’s eye: “[Danny] said his team would kill us apikorsim”

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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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996 Words | 4 Pages

The challenges experiences in new phases of life can create change, leading to a deeper understanding of self and others. The concept of transitions invariably involves an individual moving into a new phase of life. However, no successful transition occurs without challenges. It is the wisdom acquired from these hindrances which trigger shifts in the attitude and beliefs of an individual and a deepened understanding of the self and others.

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747 Words | 3 Pages

There are three specific characters that demonstration brilliant intelligence; David Malter, Reuven, and Danny. David Malter is known for his intelligence. He is a teacher, writer, and often speaks at various rallies. Overall he seems to be a role model for many who see him and hear his words. But he is a busy man and thinks that if he works hard enough he will gain access into heaven.

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1215 Words | 5 Pages

Chaim Potok, the author of The Chosen sought to teach his readers that in a world filled with traditions and responsibilities that may trap us in a certain way of being, individual choice is a value that cannot be overridden, for it is far too important to wholeheartedly be

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396 Words | 2 Pages

The books by Harper Lee and Chaim Potok can not be directly compared. Both range sepearte topics, and are well writen. Both novels were captivateing and though tprovokink, provinding a wonder read. The works of art are well worth their awards and provided a glimpse in to a forign world. The books in question were well writen and consiquently provided a captivateing read.

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532 Words | 3 Pages

“‘Before you tell me how much you hate me,’ he said quietly, ‘let me tell you that I’m sorry about what happened. ’”(p.61). Danny also displays his uneasiness toward Reuven when he asks his father, Reb Saunders, if Reuben can stay at their house since Mr. Malter, Reuven’s dad, got extremely sick and had to stay in the hospital for a month. Danny also explained what he read to Reuven so that Reuven could understand it also. Danny showed how worried he was toward Reuven multiple times in the

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476 Words | 2 Pages

“I [Reuven] saw Danny all the time in school, but the silence between us continued. We had begun to communicate with our eyes, with nods of our heads, with gestures of our hands. But we did not speak to each other.” (Pages 255-256) Reuven and Danny were not allowed to speak to each other, so they communicated without speaking. They kept their friendship alive even though Danny’s father had tried to kill it.

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655 Words | 3 Pages

Reb Saunders figures out as Danny grew up that he had very bright mind and desires more than the study of Hasidism. Reb Saunders was very considering when Danny told him he didn’t want to become the next tzaddik, because he already knew; and so he then passed it down to his next son, Levi

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1105 Words | 5 Pages

As said by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” This theme is presented many times throughout the story, “Zebra,” by Chaim Potok. The main character Adam, better known as Zebra, goes through several experiences that lead to his outlook on life changing. Overall his experiences render him to become a better person. One of the main experiences that changed Zebra was meeting John Wilson.

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822 Words | 4 Pages

In the text it says, “I went out into the hall to the phone and called my father.” The narrator made quick good decisions. By calling their parents, he knew he was saving Danny’s life. So overall, Danny realized people did care for him which was family.

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