The Character Of Reb Saunders In Chaim Potok's The Chosen

Throughout Chaim Potok’s novel, The Chosen, great men make many appearances, but one stands out, Reb Saunders. Reb Saunders stands as one of the most admirable, yet intense, men in Chaim Potok’s novel. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force.” Mr. Saunders proves this brilliant quote due to his complete belief and trust in God throughout tough times. He also maintains a brilliant head and has great understanding of the Jewish sacred text, the Talmud. Finally, Reb upholds a rather serious demeanor, which, although necessary, eventually harms his family and friends. Mr. Saunders maintains three character traits that make him the man he is, belief, intelligence and seriousness.

Belief remains so important to the making of Mr. Saunders due to his job as a tzaddik and because of his troubling life. As a tzaddik, Reb is looked up to as a messenger from God and this means he must believe in God more than any other and show true humbleness before God. Danny describes his father’s role as, “kind of a messenger of God, a bridge between his followers and God” (119). Reb must also have had great belief throughout his childhood in Russia, when he inherited his role as tzaddik from his father and he did not know what to do. He trusted God to lead him and empower him, so he brought his followers to America, not knowing how others would treat them. Clearly, Reb Saunders demonstrates belief

He shows he seriousness specifically in two ways, in his encounters with his son and in his emotional explosion at Reuven. First off, Mr. Saunders shows his seriousness through his encounters with his son Danny. He never casually talks or communicates in any way about everyday things with his son, or his family in general. He only communicates about “important” things, like the study of the Talmud. Secondly, he shows his solemnity through his angry emotional explosion at Reuven, while he resided at their house during his father’s sickness. “Reb Saunders stared at me, his eyes suddenly wild with rage, his beard trembling” (197). Evidently, seriousness acts as the final and most important character trait of Reb