The Multifaceted Character Of Reb Saunders
While Reuven is in the Hasidic synagogues, he sees how the Hasidic men treat Danny and Reb Saunders like their God. Reb Saunders Reuven about gematriya as a way of proving if he is worthy to become Danny’s friend. Reuven feels like he passed the test by pointing out a mistake in one of the gematriyot. The Hasidic
Last but not least another important event is Reb Saunders finally speaking to his son, while telling Danny about why he has not spoken to him since childhood. Danny and Reuven's friendship starts
He is taught to be exactly like his father when he becomes an adult and he is extremely observant. I was raised like Reuven and completely agree with his father’s approach of raising Reuven. I completely disagree with Reb Saunders way of raising Danny because it was essentially a “radical” way of
On the other hand, Reb Saunders is an anti zionist against all efforts aimed at the establishment of a Jewish state prior to the arrival of Messiah. He believes that “A man is born into this world with a tiny spark of goodness in him. The spark is God, it is the soul; the rest is ugliness and evil, a shell.” pg 282 This quote portrays Reb Saunders beliefs that as a Jew, his one purpose is to serve God.
Reuven was glad that Danny came to visit again despite their previous encounter. after sending Danny away, he was surprised at his own actions and had come to regret it at the end. His own father reminded him that the Talmud says that if a person is willing to apologize for his own wrongdoing, then you must at least try to understand and forgive him and that is exactly what Reuven intends to do after feeling angry and depressed with himself from what he had said to Danny. Throughout this chapter, an unlikely friendship between the two boys develop. They begin to talk and learn more about one another rather than dwelling in fateful day of the ballgame; in other words, they let bygones be bygones.
(288)” Reb Saunders understands now what Danny has been through, what Danny has had to go through during his life. They understand much more about each other due to the silence and the uplifting. Through the silence, Reb Saunders starts to understand the pain he has caused to not only Danny, but everyone else that this silence has affected, hence his weak stature. Danny cries at this moment, because not only does he now understand his father, after twenty two years, but also because of the strong bond that they have now created through the silences, which wasn’t even intentional.
When Reuven expresses his hatred towards Danny Saunders for hitting a baseball into Reuven’s left eye, Mr. Malter reprimands his son and quotes from Talmud: “If a person comes to apologize for having hurt you, you must listen and forgive him” (68). Another instance happened when Danny revealed to his father that he had drawn back from speaking to Reb Saunders for some time, and Mr. Malter becomes angry. He tells Reuven that when someone tries speaking to him, he must listen and let that person speak. In addition to correcting, Mr. Malter also encourages those around him. Despite many conflicts, Mr. Malter supports and encourages Danny and Reuven throughout the story.
In Chaim Potok’s novel, The Chosen, Reb Saunders, who is Danny’s father, is a very interesting and wise man. His techniques and beliefs for raising his son is strange and unorthodox but it is what he believes will help grow his son’s soul. He is not your typical father and being Jewish plays a role in his decisions. In the book we see how his actions are used and end with fruitful results. Reb Saunders grew up in a “small town in southern Russia” and was raised in the Jewish Orthodox customs.
He again shows another difference between Danny and himself by pointing out that they attend different schools because each sect had a specific school they went to. By also mentioning that his school was “looked down upon” by other Jewish parochial schools because it offered more “English subjects” and taught Jewish subjects in “Hebrew”, Reuven hints that his particular sect is substantially more relaxed and open to change than other Hasidic sects like Danny’s. By listing all of the differences between Danny and Reuven, Potok shows that before the two boys ever meet they will have already formed an opinion about the other. Before knowing of Danny’s existence, Reuven draws the conclusion that his Hasidic sect is traditional and arrogant simply because practice their religion
Danny even defended his dad’s style of teaching in front of his best friend, Reuven. Family loyalty is obvious in how Danny treats his dad, how Reuven confides in his father, and how Reb Saunders loves his son despite all his faults. Firstly, although his dad, Reb Saunders, did not give Danny many reasons to like him, Danny still loved him and defended his dad. At times, Danny might seem to despise Reb Saunders, but at the end of the day, he still loves him. For instance, after Reuven met Reb Saunders for the first time and got intimidated by him, Danny stood up for his dad.
He always listens Danny when he talks about psychology, even when he doesn’t know what Danny means. Reuven even suggests books for Danny to read about Judaism to help widen his view and understanding of it. Not only that, Reuven also calls Danny several times, and as stated in the first paragraph, “Yes, she would give him my wishes for his speedy
However, when Danny’s father Reb Saunders, an avid anti-Zionist, hears of Mr. Malter’s speeches, Danny and Reuven’s friendship dissolves into absolute silence. It
Instead Reuven immediately jumps to the conclusion that something is bad when intended to be fun and enjoyable because of the unfamiliarity. This theme continues to occur when Reuven learns that Danny’s father, Reb Saunders, only speaks to Danny in silence and while studying the Talmud, he does not understand. This issue affects Reuven’s view of Reb Saunders by the way in which he chooses to raise his son. As Reuven learns that Danny does not quite understand the silence either, Reuven chooses not to accept silence as the way things must be. Reuven is in close relationship with his father and believes that Danny should be among the same environment.
The first visit did not go well for Danny saunders due to Reuven representing a foolhardy behavior. “What the hell are you sitting here for? I thought you said you were going home!” “I came to talk to you ,” he said quietly. ”(page 62).
Danny's father ignores him throughout the entire story, only directly speaking to him at the very end of the book, but Danny is able to maintain his respect for his father because he loves him. " 'I thought you said your father never talks to you.' ' He doesn't'"(116) Because of his respect and love for his father, Danny tries to comprehend his father's method of raising him instead of deciding to hate him because of it. Love for Reb Saunders perseveres throughout, even if it is a blind love because of the respect and awe he feels for his father.
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