The Chosen By Chaim Potok: A Literary Analysis

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 Jews. Thus, the two children themselves must show wisdom in deciding which viewpoint shows validity. Surely, wisdom displays most profoundly in the Zionist, David Malter, anti-Zionist, Reb Saunders, and the influenced child of Reb Saunders child, Danny Saunders. By setting an example of thinking and character, David Malter has acted as an excellent father for both his son, Reuven, and even the friend of …show more content…
For example, Reb Saunders has a standard for thinking mystically and spiritually, while Mr. Malter thinks logically. Furthermore, the Reb concerns himself by worrying about how Danny’s influences outside of the ultra-Orthodox affect his belief; thus, he separates Danny from Reuven because of David Malter’s view of Zionism. Also, concerning the silence Reb Saunders sets between his son and himself, the Reb believes that words twist and conceal one’s true intent; therefore, he forces his son to look into himself to find the answers of his questions instead of going to him for answers. In one of the last scenes of the book, Reb Saunders talks about how his father did the same to him and that Reb Saunders himself was sorry to Danny about how he raised him somberly saying, “A—a wiser father… may have done differently. I am not…wise.” (281) Reb Saunders may not realize it, but his words did prove wisdom for it affected Reuven and Danny’s understanding of Reb