Cultural Expectations Depicted In Chaim Potok's The Chosen

Obey or disobey. Listen or ignore. Speak up or stay quiet. As an individual grows up, they are faced with various decisions: choosing the right friends, a career they love and most importantly staying healthy. Chaim Potok's novel, The Chosen, describes the life of Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders and their cultural difference and how it affects their choices. In The Chosen, the theme is that cultural expectations often influence one's decisions in life through friendships, professions, and feelings. Parenting impacts the way a child thinks and feels towards life. By Reuven's dad reminding him of what the Talmud says, it reminds him that he should give Danny a chance and hear him out. David explained to Reuven how to react in a situation like his and how it is not healthy to hold grudges (Potok 94-95). Reuven's dad …show more content…
Because of Reuven's father's Zionist beliefs, he later learns that "Danny was not to see me, talk to me listen to me, be found within four feet of me… he would be removed immediately from college" (Potok 331). Reb Saunders believes that Reuven and his father are toxic to his son and drives them apart no matter the effect it has on his son. He makes this decision off of David Malter and himself having different views on what happens after the war. Danny's physical appearance starts changing showing the effect his dad's decision has on him. Because Danny is trapped, he uses the smallest way of communication to comfort Reuven by touching him as Reuven describes "I told myself it was