Chaim Potok

Everyone experiences some unfavorable circumstances, however unique. Some people undergo a bit of a challenging, questionable upbringing, like Danny Saunders, one of the main characters in Chaim Potok’s masterpiece, The Chosen. The way people handle these circumstances plays a role in the characters they develop into. Danny’s destiny was unpalatable to him. In accordance with tradition, Danny was to inherit the role of tzaddik from his father upon his death. His father, an increasingly important…

All knowing. Throughout history man tries to obtain wisdom. Some, like Solomon, gained plenty of wisdom, and others only small chunks. In Chaim Potok's novel The Chosen, the characters he creates show wisdom. Reb Saunders's, Mr. Savo, and Rev Gershenson acts accordingly throughout the book, all demonstrating wisdom. When one acts wisely, they are passing on knowledge to someone else. In their own unique way, Reb Saunders, Tony Savo, and Rev Gershenson all show wisdom to others through bits of…

help from their family, others have some pressure. As portrayed in numerous Hasidic families, the rebbe and his son have conflict understanding each other. The conflict applies to Danny Saunders and his father Reb Saunders. The Chosen, one of Chaim Potok 's novels, reveals Hasidism through the rebbe, their history of coming to America, and the tzaddik, which creates the main theme of father…

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…

Taking a risk can be very hard for some people to do. Since it is hard, people tend to keep to themselves if they are going to take one. Therefore, some very great people can be reserved and difficult to understand. In chapter seven of The Chosen by Chaim Potok, Mr. Malter says great men are difficult to understand. He says this about Reb Saunders the father of his son’s friend. Mr. Malter and Reuven were having a very hard time comprehending Reb Saunders. So, Mr. Malter tells his son, Reuven,…

years. This particular sect of Judaism is known for the extremely conservative ways of life and their seclusion from society. Living in a Hasidic community came to be a challenge for author Chaim Potok as part of his writing style included language and descriptions of things the community frowned upon. Potok took how he felt surrounded by people who didn't agree with his lifestyle and turned it into a book, My Name is Asher Lev, to show how he felt on a day to day basis. My Name is Asher Lev…

The novel The Chosen by Chaim Potok provides readers a view of late and post-World War II New York City. This view is presented in a historical fiction that chronicles the unlikely friendship of two very different Jewish boys. In his book Chaim Potok tells us of the formation, friendship, and hardships between the Hasidic raised, Danny Saunders and the Orthodox raised, Zionist, Reuven Malter. Potok’s story serves to both give an interesting story of a friendship, as well as inform us about the…

“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and “The Chosen” by Chaim Potok are two great novels for the average reader. Both novels have their share of action, suspense, and great content. But while they may both be great books, when compared, “To Kill a Mockingbird” wins by far. Mainly because of the action packed, suspense filled, and just plain interesting content that is similar to our world today. But does that make “The Chosen” a horrible book? No, not nessicarily, because every reader has his…

1. Research the author of the book. Write a few sentences describing the author. Include the author’s purpose in writing the novel. Chaim Potok, the author of The Chosen, was raised as an Orthodox Jew in New York. He grew up to be a rabbi for his church, and his two sisters married rabbis as well. His father was an immigrant from Poland, which is something he included with one of his characters: Danny Saunders. Every piece of literature he wrote was on Jewish beliefs and culture, creating a…

Suitable Companions Friendships can bloom in unexpected places. In the book The Chosen, written by Chaim Potok, four characters demonstrate how friends should treat each other. They prevail as friends with each other through not only the pleasant times, but also through the ugly challenges. Reuven and Danny, acting as side guides who are similar in age, show support for each other when the other holds his head down. Reuven often talks to Mr. Malter, his father and wise guide in life, while…