The Fixer Bernard Malamud

At the time The Fixer by Bernard Malamud was written, the Holocaust just subsided and there was lingering prejudice towards the Jewish community. There was also much political corruption in Russia and Malamud exposes the anti-Semitic leaders. In the novel, Malamud discusses the prejudices against Yakov Bok, a Jewish handyman who is accused of murdering a Christian boy during Passover. Bok was accused of murdering the boy due to being Jewish and was charged without any substantial evidence. The novel is based on the true story of Mendel Beilis, who was accused of the same crime. Beilis was acquitted of his crimes, but the story ends with Bok preparing for his trial; leaving readers uncertain of his fate. Through the character of Bok, Malamud debates the bigotry towards the Jewish community and Russia’s anti-Semitic leaders. Yakov Bok is accused of murder due to his Jewish religion. He is presented as a scapegoat when a murdered Christian child is …show more content…
Malmud conveys his thoughts about these issues by making the protagonist, Yakov Bok debate the existence of God and his Jewish beliefs. Due to his religion, Bok is wrongfully accused of murdering a Christian boy during Passover. The novel exposes the cruelty of society and how they can treat others based on differences. His incarceration brings to the fact that he can never escape his ethnic heritage or the fate of his Jewish community. Bok, during his imprisonment, accepts the fact that he is now a symbol for the Jewish community and he realizes that he will fight the injustice associated with the government at whatever cost. This novel allowed for others to understand and read about the Jewish struggle for peace, even after liberation. Thus, through this novel, Malmud exposes the harsh realities of the time period after the Holocaust and how much of Jewish population was living in an anti-Semitic