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Comparing Danny And Reuven In The Chosen, By Chaim Potok

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In the historical fiction novel, The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, people from all different backgrounds in judaism, decide how they will choose to live their lives. Reb Saunders, the Rebe, raises Danny in silence while David Malter, raises Reuven as an orthodox Jew. Each at some point question their part in their religion and the world, struggling to accept the life they have. After crossing paths at a baseball game, Danny Saunders and Reuven Malter seem to both evoke daunting opinions, clearly condescending each other. When Reuven injures his eye, ending up in a hospital both their fathers, David Malter and Reb Saunders try to bring them closer. Both ultimately share insight with both Danny and Reuven including the importance of their friendship. …show more content…

For Reb Saunders and David Malter, this life was chosen for them at birth, but they choose what being chosen means to them individually. For example, after the tragedy of the Holocaust, David Malter knows it is time to take action. He believes that “We cannot wait for God! We must make our own Messiah! We must rebuild American Jewry! And Palestine must become a Jewish homeland! We have suffered enough!” pg.197 As a Zionist, he believes that one must fill their life with meaning and make a difference in the world. This is his view of living as a Jew. Despite being chosen, he decides how he will choose to live with what's chosen for him. On the other hand, Reb Saunders is an anti zionist against all efforts aimed at the establishment of a Jewish state prior to the arrival of Messiah. He believes that “A man is born into this world with a tiny spark of goodness in him. The spark is God, it is the soul; the rest is ugliness and evil, a shell.” pg 282 This quote portrays Reb Saunders beliefs that as a Jew, his one purpose is to serve God. Living in judaism, he lives in silence not wanting to disturb his, or his son's soul, this is how far he will go to follow his beliefs about what it means to be a Jew. These actions are taken for the goal of achieving each of their views on judaism. They stand behind their choices all throughout the book and choose what being chosen means to …show more content…

Although, he has an ease to learn more then what is accepted by his father. He has an adept interest in secular studies, and dreams of becoming a psychologist, not the future Rebbe. This makes makes the acceptance of what's chosen for him even harder because “He had a great mind, but it never left him in peace. He wandered from city to city, never finding roots anywhere, never

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