Reuven Malters Development In The Chosen :: essays research papers

Malters Development in The ChosenOne of the most ablaze scenes from Chaim Potoks The Chosen is whenReuven goes with Danny Saunders to talk to his beat. Danny has a greatmind and wants to exercising it to study psychology, not become a Hasidictzaddik. The two go into freedom fighter Saunders study to explain to him what is acquittance to happen, and before Danny can constitute it up, his father does. RebSaunders explains to the two friends that he already known that Reuvenis going to go for his smicha and Danny, who is in line to become thenext tzaddik of his people, will not. This relates to the motif ofIndividuality and the theme of Dannys choice of going with thefamily dynasty or to what his total leads him.The most developing character from the novel is Reuven Malter. One ofthe personal manners that he developes in the novel is in hus understanding offriendship. His friendship with Dfanny Saunders is encouraged by hisfather, but he is wary of it at first because Danny is a Hasid, andregards steady Orthodox Jews as apikorsim because of the teachings ofhis father. Reuven goes from not being able to have a civil conversationwith Danny to becoming his best friend with whom he spens whole of hisfree time, studies Talmud and goes to college. Reuven truly growsbecause he leans, as his father says, what it is to be a friend. Anotherway that Reuven grows is that he learns to appreciate different peopleand their ideas. He starts out hating Hasidim because its the piousthing to do, even though his father (who I see as the Atticus Finch ofthis novel) keeps telling him that its all right to disagree with ideas, buthating a person because of them is intolerable. Through his friendshipwith Danny, studies with Reb Saunders, brief crush on Dannys sister(who was never granted a name), and time spent in the Hasidic community,he learns that Hasids be people too with their own ideas and beliefsthat ar as valuable as his. He learns why they think, act, speak, anddre ss the way that they do and comes to grips with the fact that hedoesnt have a monopoly on virtue. A third way in which Reuven grows,though the book doesnt really talk some it a great deal, is in hisappreciation of life, or chaim in Hebrew. He almost loses his vision,his father nearly works himself to death, six million Jews arebutchered in Europe, and Dannys brothers poor health threatens Dannys