The Influence Of Parents In The Chosen By Chaim Potok

Do parents tend to push their children into a specific career path? In the novel The Chosen by Chaim Potok, David Malter and Reb Saunders have affected both Reuven and Danny’s way of life. The story starts out with Danny Saunders and Reuven Malter meeting. Later in the novel, Reuven learns that Danny’s father does not talk to Danny and Danny learns that David Malter has a strong relationship with Reuven. As the novel progresses, David and Reb influence the future path for their sons such as David’s Zionism affecting Reuven, Reb’s method of raising Danny, and both Reb and David influencing Danny and Rueven’s future occupations proves that parents can influence their children in both positive and negative ways. Evidence that shows that

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. Also, since David was working so hard during the end of the book, Reuven felt obligated as a son to help his father’s dream to expand the Jewish population and form a new Jewish state. Becoming a rabbi would be the best way for Reuven to continue his father’s dream after his death. Reb Saunders also affected Danny’s career path. Reb Saunders said that Danny would not be a Jewish tzaddik for a synagogue, but a “tzaddik for the world. And the world needs a tzaddik” (Potok 287). This meant that not only did Reb approve of Danny’s actions, but he also knew about them as well as expected Danny to become something other than a Jewish tzaddik. Reb knew that Danny would do more good for the world as a psychologist than a tzaddik. This influenced Danny’s career path because if Reb Saunders had said no, Danny would have been forced to become a tzaddik and not a