The Chosen By Chaim Potok Figurative Language

The Epigraphs: The Spoken Words of Silence

Silence is a major aspect of life, regardless of whether or not people choose to accept and acknowledge it. Silence is also integral throughout The Chosen, by Chaim Potok. Within this novel, silence is utilized through different relationships, in different circumstances, and for different purposes. Potok immediately introduces the idea of silence, and continues to do so, before he even gives the narrator, Reuven, his first line. The idea of silence is immediately approached in the first epigraph, or brief quote, at the beginning of Book 1, and another epigraph related to silence is introduced at the each of the beginnings of the following two books. Potok’s use of the epigraphs throughout his novel

This quote is not even exclusively religious, as was the previous, but can be viewed completely secularly without an issue. This quote stands out from the other two, as it explicitly states that silence should not only be practiced, but should in fact be treasured. Danny finally fully accepts the silence with which he was reared at the end of the novel, and even decides to raise his kids with it, should he not find a better alternative (Potok 290). It is a time of enlightenment for both Danny and Reuven. Neither fully realized the true importance of it, until Reb Saunders explained his actions. While silence is not considered to be the absolute best way to rear children, one cannot deny the effect and impression it made on not only Danny, but also the Malters. Even Reuven’s father at times remained silent when he could have mentioned things about which he had prior knowledge, not completely dissimilarly to Reb Saunders’ approach. One could assume that he desired for Reuven (and Danny, by default) to come to certain realizations himself. Regardless of the motivations behind any character’s choice of silence, this epigraph genuinely depicts the alleged value of silence