The Chosen, the novel by Chaim Potok follows the lives of two Jewish boys, Danny Malter and Reuven Saunders, set in Brooklyn, New York, during the time of World War II. A common paradoxical theme found in this novel is that through one’s loss there is also one’s gain. A quote from Reuven’s father, David Malter states this paradox perfectly; “No one knows he is fortunate until he becomes unfortunate” (Potok 87). To me this means you don’t realize what you have until it is gone or taken away from you. There are many examples of this found in the novel and also some examples of this I can relate to my own life.
A main example of this paradox is when Reuven is injured in the softball game against Danny’s team. Reuven gets injured from getting …show more content…
Unlike Reuven, I was not batting at the time of the accident but instead I was stealing second base, which I did so successfully in the fact that I was safe but unsuccefully in the fact that I broke my arm. I knew instantly that it was broken and immediately left the field and went to the doctor and had my arm set and put into a full arm cast that was hot pink. At the time I was only twelve and the cast made it so I could not fully extend my arm so simple tasks like doing my hair or buttoning my pants up became impossible to do by myself. This injury also took me out of softball for the rest of the season and also out of school volleyball that same year. This was the first time in my life where I had to sit out and watch my sisters play the sports I wish I could have been participating in. I think sitting on the outside looking in, I realized how valuable our bodies are and what a gift it is to participate in sports; and how blessed I was to be able to heal and come back to play next year. Some people sustain injuries that are career ending and through my injury I gained the realization that my body can heal and others can’t and that I should be appreciative of the body I have been given. I think that as a society we tend to take for granted what we have, when in reality we should be more thankful for what we are …show more content…
Reuven states; “Danny was not to see me, talk to me, listen me, be found within four feet of me. My father and I had been excommunicated from the Saunders family” (Potok 217). Reb Saunders reasoning for ending the friendship being that he wouldn’t allow his son to be friends with someone whose father was participating in the Zionist rally. At this point in the story both Danny and Reuven have formed a strong friendship and have come a long way since their first meeting in the softball game. So, ending their relationship was a struggle for them both. But for the time being the loss of the friendship allowed Danny to focus on what he had learned from Reuven and the same went for Danny. It wasn’t until the relationship was taken away from them that they both realized how much they have learned from each
A main example of this paradox is when Reuven is injured in the softball game against Danny’s team. Reuven gets injured from getting …show more content…
Unlike Reuven, I was not batting at the time of the accident but instead I was stealing second base, which I did so successfully in the fact that I was safe but unsuccefully in the fact that I broke my arm. I knew instantly that it was broken and immediately left the field and went to the doctor and had my arm set and put into a full arm cast that was hot pink. At the time I was only twelve and the cast made it so I could not fully extend my arm so simple tasks like doing my hair or buttoning my pants up became impossible to do by myself. This injury also took me out of softball for the rest of the season and also out of school volleyball that same year. This was the first time in my life where I had to sit out and watch my sisters play the sports I wish I could have been participating in. I think sitting on the outside looking in, I realized how valuable our bodies are and what a gift it is to participate in sports; and how blessed I was to be able to heal and come back to play next year. Some people sustain injuries that are career ending and through my injury I gained the realization that my body can heal and others can’t and that I should be appreciative of the body I have been given. I think that as a society we tend to take for granted what we have, when in reality we should be more thankful for what we are …show more content…
Reuven states; “Danny was not to see me, talk to me, listen me, be found within four feet of me. My father and I had been excommunicated from the Saunders family” (Potok 217). Reb Saunders reasoning for ending the friendship being that he wouldn’t allow his son to be friends with someone whose father was participating in the Zionist rally. At this point in the story both Danny and Reuven have formed a strong friendship and have come a long way since their first meeting in the softball game. So, ending their relationship was a struggle for them both. But for the time being the loss of the friendship allowed Danny to focus on what he had learned from Reuven and the same went for Danny. It wasn’t until the relationship was taken away from them that they both realized how much they have learned from each