Chaim Potok

The book I read, “The Chosen” by Chaim Potok, tells an inspiring story about two young Jewish boys who live in Brooklyn, NY amidst the end of World War II. During this difficult time, a friendly softball league between the Jewish schools is created as an effort to lift the spirits of the school children. The narrator, Reuven Malter, begins the book by telling the story of when his Orthodox Jewish team played a Hasidic Jewish team from five blocks over. This game changed Reuven’s life forever because on this day, through fate, he met his best friend Danny Saunders. Reuven and Danny, although both Jewish, have very different religious practices. Reuven is brought up to learn about the importance of both Jewish and secular studies, however, Danny is…

made what to do. Facing the hard times of the 1940s, Jewish people faced what to do about Palatine, and all the fighting going on all around them. In the book The Chosen, written by Chaim Potok, Chaim displays what good, solid, wisdom looks like in each unique character that he created. One caring man, David Malter, used his wisdom from the Talmud to teach high schoolers how to think logically, and was a wonderful guide for people who were seeking wisdom. Mr. Galanter, a gym teacher, also…

Chaim Potok, born February 17, 1929, was a Jewish Rabbi and author. After his Jewish education and rabbinic ordination, Potok graduated with a phd in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. Shortly afterward, he published his first book, The Chosen. In the Chosen, Chaim Potok uses setting and its description to emphasize the character’s change and growth, symbolism to convey to the reader Danny’s difficult upbringing, and in the end expresses the motivation behind such a method of…

The Chosen, the novel by Chaim Potok follows the lives of two Jewish boys, Danny Malter and Reuven Saunders, set in Brooklyn, New York, during the time of World War II. A common paradoxical theme found in this novel is that through one’s loss there is also one’s gain. A quote from Reuven’s father, David Malter states this paradox perfectly; “No one knows he is fortunate until he becomes unfortunate” (Potok 87). To me this means you don’t realize what you have until it is gone or taken away from…

In a world with countless viewpoints, defining wisdom can pose a challenge. While some wisdom shows truth universally, some wisdom can present itself as a problem of subjectivity. In the book The Chosen by Chaim Potok, the author uses this theme of wisdom to influence the protagonists of the story from the wisdom of two fathers. These fathers, however, differ in many key areas such as wisdom for life generally, wisdom in raising children, and wisdom for the world fraught with persecution of the…

Have you ever wondered how a friendship can help someone emotionally when they’re in a tough situation? Friendships can often provide support to those who struggle with personal or family issues and to give hope in those situations. The short story “Zebra” by Chaim Potok, talks about what a healing friendship can do for people who are emotionally beaten down in life. Adam (a.k.a Zebra), the main character in the story, experiences depression due to the lack of friendships with his schoolmates…

What makes the perfect parent? Countless magazines and websites strive to answer the question but often possess differing opinions on what techniques and parenting styles will foster the ideal child. In Chaim Potok’s novel, The Chosen, Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders grow up in polar opposite households. While both practice Judaism, their separate sects often highlight differences in their respective upbringings. Literature mimics real life and while reading, I found myself comparing the boys’…

The Author of Choice: Chaim Potok Throughout the history of English literature, authors have changed how readers see literature. Some of these authors have become America’s best including the author Chaim Potok. Potok’s story The Chosen has affected many readers and can be considered one of the better stories in American literature. By looking at Chaim Potok’s life, people’s opinion of his book, and how people’s lives were changed, Americans can understand why he is one of their better authors.…

Personal Reaction The Chosen by Chaim Potok inspired me in multiple ways. While it may not share the same place in my heart as other novels and stories, I cannot deny the brilliance in this work. The theme of silence versus conversation really hits me. This mild obsession with silence started a few years ago. Somewhere between the age of eight and twelve I read a book by Sarah Dessen. This book, titled Just Listen, introduced the importance of silence to me with a single quote. “Silence is so…

In Albert Camus’ novel, “The Stranger”, the absurdist themes of the meaninglessness of human life, living in the moment, irrationality, and lack of conformity to the values of society are best exemplified through the relationships that the protagonist, Meursault, has with those around him. Camus’ characterisation of his anti-hero makes us question the way we must fit into other people’s expectations of our own behaviour, thus forcing us to lie in order to find a secure place within society.…