Portfolio Draft The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers by Harry Bernstein Meta-thesis: In the small town of Lancashire, England, Jews and Christians believe they are nothing alike. However, when it is revealed that these conflicting religions do share some similarities, both sides ignore them–showing how hard it is to change a group of people's minds. Text excerpts that accompany the thesis: Harry Berstein set the tone of the book early. Starting in the prologue, we already get a glimpse of the reality Harry lived in. “Actually, what we had here was a minute ghetto, for there was an invisible wall between the two sides, and though the distance from one side to the other, geographically, was only a few yards, the streets being very narrow, the distance socially could have been miles …show more content…
Petersgate, Harry dealt with countless bullies–dreading every single day. One afternoon, a group of Christians roughed up Harry while he walked home from school. Following the beating, he went on this religious aside: “People get smarter. The human brain has a potential for development. Some day it will grow big enough so that everybody will see and understand the truth, and then we won't act like a bunch of sheep, and then that wall separates the two sides of us will crumble, just like the wall of Jericho” (167). Reflecting on his mugging, Harry realizes that all of this turmoil between religions is degenerate. He predicts it will be over one day – once as we grow out of the sheep mentality. The aside also pays homage to the wall of Jericho, an old testament story both religions hold to be true. Using this biblical story as an allusion is significant because it shows that even in religious stories, Christians and Jews hold common ideas. After marrying a Christian, Lily died in her mother's eyes. However, Lily recently delivered a baby and wanted to show both sides of town. Harry’s mother reluctantly accepted the invite but did not enjoy