Success transpires in many different ways, but when it comes to materialistic goals, one almost always has to pay a high moral price and sacrifice personal relationships. In the novel The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler, Duddy is an apprentice of each character that comes in and out of his life, teaching him valuable lessons which he can either choose to act upon or ignore. Throughout his apprenticeship, Duddy struggles to discover his identity and succeed in the goals that he sets for himself. By being an apprentice, Duddy learns how to survive in his harsh environment, but sacrifices his principals and happiness to do so. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler suggests that our societal values and interactions …show more content…
Firstly, Duddy’s father Max gave Duddy little affection growing up, and instead valued his brother Lennie, the designated doctor of the family. Unable to compete with his brother’s promising future, nearly everyone in Duddy’s family, including his Uncle Benjy, considered Duddy a social and academic failure incapable of becoming anything else. For instance, when Drapeau accidentally confused Duddy for Lennie, Max laughed expansively and mentioned, “He’s not gonna be sawbones. Duddy’s a dope like me. Aren’t you kid? Lennie’s twenty-one. He’s had scholarships all through school”(18). The lack of attention Duddy received compared to his brother Lennie gave Duddy the impression that he wasn’t good enough, even in the eyes of his father. Duddy’s sense of inferiority within his family becomes a driving force in his goal to discover his identity and make something of himself. Secondly, Max introduces Duddy to the concept of material success by idolizing the Boy Wonder, giving Duddy the false idea that material possessions are the ultimate source of happiness. Max’s tales about Jerry Dingleman rising from selling bus transfers to owning a chain of nightclubs urge Duddy to pattern his life after his hero, the Boy Wonder. For instance, as a schoolboy, Duddy participated in suspicious activities such as selling pornographic magazines and stolen hockey sticks. With …show more content…
Having chosen the path of avarice and greed, Duddy will now find it nearly impossible to live a life of meaning and will instead fixate on gaining material things, destroying any semblance of human connections with friends and family; this ultimately leads to unhappiness. Duddy is ready to face the world because he is no longer an apprentice and has achieved his goal even though he sacrificed his morals, the respect of others and his conscious to do
This shift in perspective is apparent when Duddy begins climbing the ladder to success. In this time, Duddy begins to gain connections to richer families and grows outside of his home area, St Urbain street. After this change, Duddy begins to realize that there are people who have never suffered like himself or The Boy Wonder. Instead, he began to see clear examples of families who had inherited this fortune. This appears as he begins to talk to a wealthy man in the city, Mr.Calder.
The novel “the Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz” written by Mordecai Richler tells the story of a boy whose goal is to acquire land, success and respect. His failed business endeavors did not lead him to the success he had hoped, and additionally alienated him from those who had once trusted and cared for him. Duddy is not only a self-made monster, but even more so a product of his society. A combination of how his family raised him, his schooling and environment, as well as his own personality and virtues ultimately led to his downfall. Quite possibly, Duddy’s family had the largest negative impact on his “apprenticeship”.
In contrast to the strong example of his mother and the church, Robert saw his father go from failed enterprise to failed enterprise. As a result, young Robert tried harder to succeed. Robert was accepted to the United States Military Academy and graduated 2nd in his class. But perhaps greater than his academic
Throughout the course of the year, as a class, we have discussed countless works from a variety of authors, artists, directors and speakers. One overarching theme from these works is the ability that a character can have to redefine social standards and have the courage to break societal norms. In society, it is incredibly hard to take a different stance than your peers and choose an alternative to the ordinary. The contrasting forces between good and evil in the world is the cause for exceptional people who are able to break social norms, however, not always in a positive manner. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the film Schindler’s List directed by Steven Spielberg, and the short story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut,
Each one has learned many lessons from their courses in life which established their personal morality. In particular, the author, Wes Moore, was driven by positive outcomes from his negative conditions resulting from him a successful person in his adulthood. As a result, the inspiring story of the author, Wes Moore, could be described in three themes: Peer, Parent, and Family Support; Loss and Redemption; and Decision Making.
Although sacrifices can impact a person’s outcome in life, some characters sacrifice the people they love, some people sacrifice their community’s
When one is confined to society and held captive against their ego, it is imperative that they learn to eulogize their own individuality, and learn to improve themselves. In Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, Rand uses Equality 7-2521 to communicate the importance of the individual. Equality has always had his own sense of individuality that causes him to stand out and defy the social norms. His individuality allows him to persevere and diverge from collectivist society.
The constant struggle to be the best at everything, and to be better than everyone else puts a lot of pressure on the people in our society. We feel as if we need to maintain the facade of perfection because of the standards society places on us, money matters because society judges us based on class. Even though we are one society, we end up breaking the minds of people who tried to realize a life of perfection only to fail. “In spite of its elusiveness, we remain fixated on perfection. Often enough, even when we know the flaws, we still defend an image of flawlessness.
By using this metaphor, Gladwell highlights that success is not solely a result of personal qualities but is often contingent upon unique circumstances and opportunities. This metaphor compels readers to reconsider their
Every person has something to contribute to society, regardless of age, sex or culture. The measurement of a person’s worth is determined by more than simply following rules and going through the motions. Accordingly, the combined contribution to society is more than the sum of each person. However, in The Chrysalids, by John Wyndham, the people of Waknuk live a life governed by strict social norms, which limits their expression of individuality. This pervasive attitude results in a narrow-minded perspective on what it means to be human.
Stephen’s partner, Leka, teaches him that it is important to be your own individual and not let anyone shape who you want to be by sculpting you own ideals and values. Stephen wants to have the choice to gain his own set of values and ideals that will steer his life showing that he has begun to find a path to
Pride is an aspect of life that has the ability to either improve or impede on one’s life. It is a reality that many despise. trans……… In the captivating novel, Johnny Tremain, a young boy struggles with the idea of pride. Gifted in every way imaginable, especially silver smithing, the young boy, Johnny, let’s it go to his head. This results in conceited actions, haughty remarks, and an overall arrogance which illuminates from the young boy’s body.
In conclusion, the author of this story has shown that the theme of this novel is to know people before you trust them, for not everyone can be
Honor is the Hardest Master “On the whole, it is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them”(Twain, Mark Twain’s Notebook, 1902-1903). This quote from Mark Twain directly relates to the primary theme of honor in the novel The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, and the message that Twain is trying to get across about it. He is saying that honor is something that is deserved, but is not always recognized, and that most often people who think they deserve it do not. Honor is what helps us with our morals and helps us to distinguish good from bad. When people are without honor, most of the time without good morals and cannot tell right from wrong.
Meaningful events and connections in an individual's existence can lead to growth and development, allowing one to experience transitions into new phases of life. Rebellion against the ideologies of one's social context can bestow a sense of independence and personal evolution. Equally crucial, is that through relationships with others, one’s sense of purpose and potential progress is fostered. These concepts are demonstrated in Stephen Herrik’s free verse novel, ‘The Simple Gift’ (2000) and in Brian Selznick’s graphic novel, ‘The Invention of Hugo Cabret’ (2007). Both characters converge to a different social situation, sparking the catalyst for new understandings of themselves and others.