Symbolism can give meaning to everyday things that people often overlook. Symbolism uses nature to compare to broader concepts or to people. In The Chosen by, Chaim Potok, he utilizes symbolism to create more perspective into Danny and Reuven’s life.
To introduce the story, Danny is the son of Reb Saunders and is destine to take his father’s place as Rebbe. He has a brilliant mind which causes him to feel the desire for knowledge. Although Danny is obligated to take his father’s place as Rebbe, Danny wants to pursue other professions. This internal conflict results in Danny feeling trapped. Reuven, Danny’s best friend, first met Danny at a Baseball game. Reuven and Danny’s relationship grows strong over time and Reuven becomes the leading …show more content…
Potok uses symbolism when Reuven sees a fly and notices that the “wings were trapped by the filmy almost invisible strands of web” (Potok 164). In the case of the fly and the web, Danny is symbolically represented as the fly struggling to be free. To illustrate the symbolic relationship between Danny’s life and the fly, Potok describes Danny as held back by an invisible force. This invisible force represents Danny’s pain and his religion. Danny’s situation and the fly’s situation are similar because the fly is trapped by a web just like Danny is trapped by his religion and the pain of silence. Reb Saunders, Danny’s father, has not spoken to his son in many years except during the study of the Talmud. As a result of Reb Saunders silence, Danny was ready to rebel, but before that could happen the Master of the Universe sent Reuven. Reuven prevents Danny from rebelling by showing Danny that he can follow his religion and still gain knowledge. Reuven is the ultimate component in freeing Danny from his obligation to become a Rebbe. However, Reuven does not completely push Danny out of the religion. In the same manner, Reuven frees the fly like he frees Danny. Reuven says he “blew again, harder now” (Potok 165) eventually freeing the fly. Special attention should
To introduce the story, Danny is the son of Reb Saunders and is destine to take his father’s place as Rebbe. He has a brilliant mind which causes him to feel the desire for knowledge. Although Danny is obligated to take his father’s place as Rebbe, Danny wants to pursue other professions. This internal conflict results in Danny feeling trapped. Reuven, Danny’s best friend, first met Danny at a Baseball game. Reuven and Danny’s relationship grows strong over time and Reuven becomes the leading …show more content…
Potok uses symbolism when Reuven sees a fly and notices that the “wings were trapped by the filmy almost invisible strands of web” (Potok 164). In the case of the fly and the web, Danny is symbolically represented as the fly struggling to be free. To illustrate the symbolic relationship between Danny’s life and the fly, Potok describes Danny as held back by an invisible force. This invisible force represents Danny’s pain and his religion. Danny’s situation and the fly’s situation are similar because the fly is trapped by a web just like Danny is trapped by his religion and the pain of silence. Reb Saunders, Danny’s father, has not spoken to his son in many years except during the study of the Talmud. As a result of Reb Saunders silence, Danny was ready to rebel, but before that could happen the Master of the Universe sent Reuven. Reuven prevents Danny from rebelling by showing Danny that he can follow his religion and still gain knowledge. Reuven is the ultimate component in freeing Danny from his obligation to become a Rebbe. However, Reuven does not completely push Danny out of the religion. In the same manner, Reuven frees the fly like he frees Danny. Reuven says he “blew again, harder now” (Potok 165) eventually freeing the fly. Special attention should