Reuven Friendship

Danny Saunders and Reuven Malters could not be more different in appearance. Following Hasidic traditions, Danny had long earlocks, wore a tzitzit, and wore shoes with a metal bottom. Also, by he is in college his beard is full-grown. The only aspect, appearance wise, that the boys had in common in the beginning of the story were their black skullcaps. Reuven had always worn glasses, but after spending countless years reading every chance he got, Danny needed them too. The stress caused by the reading and from the pressures of his family became too much on his eyes and they started to turn red and develop bags underneath them. As the firstborn son, Danny had known, for as long as he could remember, that he was to take his father’s place as tzaddik and lead his own congregation. But Danny knew that he did not belong up on a podium preaching, just like Reuven knew that he was not meant to be a math professor. Reuven’s father, David, was one of his best friends. He talked to him

Danny and Reuven’s friendship begins because of, and continues in spite of, Danny’s irrational thoughts. The reader sees Danny’s irrational side in Danny and Reuven’s first meeting and in Danny’s refusal to try to see from the point of view of his psychology teacher. Danny Reuven first meet on a baseball field where Danny feels irrational hate towards Reuven. He tells Reuven later, “I wanted to walk over to you and open your head with my bat” (Potok, 65). Even though Danny begins their acquaintance with harmful thoughts toward Reuven, an unlikely friendship forms between them. When faced with a psychology professor who believes differently about psychology than he does, Danny does not try to see from the professor’s side, instead, he irrationally only thinks about how miserable he feels learning from the professor’s approach to psychology. (186). When Reuven approaches Danny and tries to reason with him, that he should try to like it, Danny blows up; however, Reuven remains ready to forgive as he does not want to lose their friendship. Through Danny’s harmful thoughts and irrational feelings toward Reuven and others, Reuven and Danny’s friendship stays strong.

Danny and Reuven’s relationship progresses from tension in the beginning to an intimate friendship because of a mutual trust that is established. Danny says, “Sometimes I’m not sure I know what God wants though…I’ve never said that to anyone before” (80). From early on Danny feels comfortable confiding in Reuven. He shares his innermost feelings with Reuven and they form a closely knit bond. Danny and Reuven have a conversation; Reuven asks Danny, “Are you going to like being a Rabbi?” (82). Danny replies, “No, but I have no choice, it’s like a dynasty, if the son doesn’t take the father’s place, the dynasty falls apart” (Ibid.). This piece of evidence once again displays a profound trust the boys have. This conversation is a turning point for the book because Danny admits he does not want to carry on his father’s rabbinic dynasty. The fact that Danny openly shares this shocking information with Reuven shows how strong the boys relationship is. After a personal conversation Reuven narrates as he observes Danny, “I saw him begin to play absent-mindedly with one of his earlocks. We were quiet for a long

Danny and Reuven represent deeply committed friends. Their live intertwine when historical circumstances , religious realities, and their father's differences in child rearing dramatically affect their respective senses of security and happiness.

In his review, Bluefard talks about the differences that the two Jewish families have. One family are Hasidic Jews and the other Orthodox. Bluefard states that the Hasidic Jews (Danny’s family) revert to earlier scholasticism, mostly used in Europe, by teaching through “silence.” Basically meaning that he doesn’t speak of anything but religion and scholastic subjects. Bluefard talks about how strict Danny’s Hasidic father is and how Danny is forced and pressured into being a Rabbi, thus influencing Danny to rebel. The Orthodox Jews on the other hand, are quite the opposite. Bluefard talks about how Reuven’s father is much nicer, more open, and understanding. He lets Reuven be what he wants to become, and is not pressured. Bluefard says that the difference between the fathers is from “their respective visions toward the holocaust” (Bluefard, 2)

One of the most commonly used literary devices among authors, irony generates a connection between the reader and the fictional world. Irony is generally used in a mocking manner in which the user makes a sarcastic statement, such as: “Nice going!” when failure appears obvious. Occasionally the contrasts appear clear-cut, often times not. In Chaim Potok’s The Chosen irony lingers in the background, waiting to make its appearance.

He raises his son, Danny, in nothing but silence, so he can hear the world crying for help. He doesn’t allow Danny to go to the movies, and hesitantly allows Danny to read books at the library. He treats Israel as something that is precious and vulnerable. However, with David Malter, he has more of an open view of the world. He has a relationship with his son, Reuven, and encourages him to learn all he can. Reuven and him are able to talk with what he encounters with his daily life. David believes after horror of the death of 6 million jews, that the time has come to embrace a new idea: the creation of a jewish homeland without the Messiah. After David Malter speaks at a Zionist Rally, Reuven can no longer talk to Danny, nor can he go to the Hasidic community. Two years later, students quiet their anti-Zionest protest when a former graduate is killed during combat, Danny and Reuven are able to become friends

that did not match up with who they actually are. Reuven’s perception of Hasidic Jews changes

By relating Reuven’s knowledge of Danny with his father’s opinion of Reb Saunders, Potok shows that Reuven thinks of Danny as only a mirror of his zealous father instead of judging him by his own

Through telling his father this, Reuven shows that he resents Danny and lets his belief that all Hasidic Jews hate Orthodox Jews cloud his judgment. Later, when Danny visits Reuven in the hospital, Reuven tells him “you [Danny] can go to hell, and take your whole snooty bunch of Hasidim along with you!” (67). By yelling at Danny like this, Reuven shows his prejudice against Hasidic Jews and his unwillingness to view Danny as a person who is capable of remorse or friendship. After hearing about the incident, Reuven’s father confronts Reuven and convinces him to put aside his prejudices and try to befriend Danny. When Danny visits the hospital a second time, Reuven has an epiphany and realizes that while Danny was “dressed like a Hasid” he “didn’t sound like one” (72). Through his epiphany, Reuven realized that Danny was a real person who could not be

Religion plays a large part in the formation of both Danny and Reuven’s personal identities and contributes heavily to the overall theme and setting of the

The novel The Chosen explores many different ideas and topics in depth. The story of the two young Jewish boys Reuven and Danny started in the most unusual of ways and has many ups and downs as their journey as friends continues through high school and college. As their upbringings are drastically different, many issues between them are brought to surface, such as their fathers and their specific religious beliefs and traditions. As the book begins with a severe injury, life, death and sight are explored as Reuven suffers from a wound to his eye. The friendship of Reuven and Danny is tested as their parents strongly believe in different parts of the Jewish religion.

The relationships between the boys brought the families a little closer than before. Although Reb Saunders and Mr. Malter did not agree on their theology they had one huge thing in common, Danny and Reuven were best friends. Their fathers poured wisdom into their friendship so that it could be strong and lasting. “You remember what the Talmud says. If a person comes to apologize for having hurt you, you must listen and forgive him.” (63). Mr. Malter explained to Reuven that he should forgive Danny who had come to ask for forgiveness after hitting Reuven in

Reuven Malter is the son of David Malter, who is an activist in the Zionist movement, and is rather secular in his religious practices. Even though he is an extremely religious man, David Malter is also a practical, scientific man, often coming up with his own interpretation of the Talmud, and taking initiative for what he feels is important instead of leaving it up to God (the master of the universe?). Because he strives to be open-minded to all people and ideas – even ones he does not necessarily like – Reuven is raised with more freedom with his education and opinions. On the other hand, Danny’s father Reb Saunders is extremely traditional with his religious outlook/ideals and is a devout Hasidic Jew. Even though Danny has great respect for his father, he also believes his father is too restricted in his view of the world, stubbornly sticking to tradition and rejecting any foreign ideas. Reb Saunders’ life revolves around his religion, so much that “he would die for them both quite gladly” (Potok 188). Because of how devoted Reb Saunders is to Hasidism and the religion’s hierarchy, his son Danny becomes conflicted between following his people’s expectations to take over his father’s position when he comes of age,

First, Danny displays intelligence with his extensive knowledge of the Talmud and by the many books he reads. Danny’s father urges him to study vigorously, which proves to help Danny gain knowledge. For example, Danny and his father frequently battle over the Talmud. In chapter eight, Reuven witnesses this Talmud battle, which consists of Danny and his father arguing over passages in the Talmud (Lee 163). Because of Danny’s photographic mind, he can prove his grasp of these teachings. Furthermore, Danny reveals to Reuven that he reads many books in addition to