I had never really had any personal contact with this kind of jew before. For the first fifteen years of our lives, danny and i lived within five blocks of each other and neither of us knew of the others existence. Aug 19, 2008 a memorable scene from the film version of chaim potoks the chosen. The chosen chaim potok page 28 read online free books. Apparently, a mysterious man has been suggesting books for him to read.
Despite their differences reuven is a modern orthodox jew with an intellectual, zionist father. Although the chosen focuses equally on both reuvens and dannys personal and religious development, it is dannys story that provides the central conflict of the novel and sets in motion both protagonists process of discovery. The chosen is about a friendship between a modern orthodox jew, reuven malter, and a hasidic jew named danny saunders. It follows the narrator reuven malter and his friend daniel saunders, as they grow up in the williamsburg neighborhood in brooklyn, new york, in the 1940s. The chosen is a 1981 american drama film directed by jeremy kagan, based on the bestselling book of the same name by chaim potok published in 1967.
Reuven blends easily into both his secular jewish faith and his typical american teen life, while dannys conservative hasidic clothes and appearance make. Danny and reuven grew up five blocks away from each other. Primarily the hasidic, the little known mystics with their beards, earlocks and stringently reclusive way of life. The area in which danny lives is populated by russian hasidic jews. It was distributed by analysis film releasing corp. Like danny, reuven, the narrator of the chosen, is an orthodox jew.
Reuven never would have met danny were it not for the united states entrance. For his education, danny goes to his fathers yeshiva a kind of. Reuven blends easily into both his secular jewish faith and his typical american teen life, while danny s conservative hasidic clothes and appearance make. This must have been one of the most solemn books ive ever read. In this book, reuven prepares to become a rabbi but runs into an obstacle in the form of apostate scholar abraham gordon.
The book contains a harsh denunciation of the hasidim, but danny reads it with a surprising lack of skepticism. Reuven states, in book 1, that he wanted to become a rabbi. The story begins with a softballbaseball gamethe author seems to confuse the two gamesin which a ball hit by danny strikes reuven, the pitcher, breaking his glasses and putting him in the hospital. Jul 30, 2016 the chosen tells the story of reuven malter and danny saunders, two jewish, teenage boys growing up mere blocks from one another with no inkling that the other exists. When danny fells reuven with a line drive in the heat of. Reb saunders moved forward slightly in the chair and put his hands on the desk. The character of reuven malter in the chosen from litcharts. In the chosen, chaim potok uses the relationship between danny saunders and reuven malter as symbolic of the greater social and political problems faced by american jews during the midtwentieth century, a time in which they faced such tragedies as the holocaust and the tension during the establishment of israel as a secular jewish state. Identify the time and place in which the action of the novel is set, and the circumstances that cause reuven and danny to meet. As you read book 1, create a venn diagram use this website by listing ways that the two boys are similar and ways that they are different. Although the chosen focuses equally on both reuven s and danny s personal and religious development, it is danny s story that provides the central conflict of the novel and sets in motion both protagonists process of discovery. Danny and reuven view each other as being very different.
A sequel featuring reuvens young adult years, the promise, was published in 1969. The book chronicles the main character, reuvens friend dannys life from a young age at yeshivas through high school, into college and to graduate school. Reuven malter, the novels narrator and protagonist, mentions that for the first 15 years of his life he did not know danny. Though theyve lived their entire lives less than five blocks from each other, reuven malter and danny saunders exist in very different worlds. Written in the 1960s, this novel analyzes and discusses the numerous branches of judaism through the eyes of a young man, reuven. He also says that dannys father, reb saunders, has called him. Start studying the chosen book one study questions. Together they negotiate adolescence, family conflicts, the crisis of faith engendered. Danny and reuvens similaritiestheir love of learning, quick minds, and deep jewish faithallow them to relate to one another and become friends.
Malter, visits reuven in the hospital and tells him that he will recover completely from the accident. Graetz argues that many tzaddiks, especially one whom reb saunders has taught danny to revere, were con artists who took advantage of their followers. But there are other ways than the way of reb saunders. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This novel is suited for just about anybody regardless of religion or race. Danny s father is a hasidic rabbi, and reuven and his father are orthodox jews, but not hasidic. Reuven then mentions danny saunders, a hasidic friend. What happens to change the relationship between reuven and. What are some traits that describe reuven malter and danny. It won three awards at the 1981 montreal world film festival. How does danny explain his actions at the baseball game. Some characters, such as reuven and david malter, believe that this deprivation is a cruel and inexplicable way of raising a child. Malter, leads him along the 4 path of scholarly exploration. Create a venn diagram for the characters, danny saunders and reuven malters.
A man can do whatever he wishes to test his sons knowledge. The chosen cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. The chosen unabridged the chosen unabridged audiobook, by chaim potok. This first novel, ostensibly about the friendship between two boys, reuven and danny, from the time when they are fourteen on opposing yeshiva ball clubs, is actually a gently didactic differentiation between two aspects of the jewish faith, the hasidic and the orthodox. The area is heavily jewish, and there are several hasidic sects in the neighborhood. Although the chosen focuses on danny saunders struggle to stand up to his father and renounce the leadership position that tradition dictates danny inherit, chapter 1 establishes reuvens own personal struggle to accept danny and the hasidic religion that danny and his father represent. I only heard about chaim potok and this there are a. When danny fells reuven with a line drive in the heat of competition, the two boys start a tentative and. The two main characters, danny and reuven, i will be thinking about for a long time to come, i am sure. Danny is the brilliant son and rightful heir to a hasidic rebbe, the young men form a deep, if unlikely, friendship. Although reuven would like to believe that he is more. Their friendship was based on parallels in their relationships. He says that he met a man at the library who has been advising him on what to read danny later learns that the man is mr.
The climactic discussion between reb saunders, danny, and reuven is less dramatic than may be expected, for reb saunders is resigned to his sons decision to seek a ph. Silence in the chosen silence in the chosen in the book the chosen by chaim potok, there are many situations where silence between characters is present. Chapters 1112 summary reb saunders, danny, and reuven learn that a major german offensive has been repelled in the battle of the bulge and that the allies apparently will win the war. Chapter 18 it makes us aware of how frail and tiny we are and of how much we must depend upon the master of the universe. The chosen, by chaim potokfriendshipwhile many obstacles get in the way of friendship, true friendship still lives, even in silence. Reuven notes that danny s father sits stooped forward, bent, as though he were carrying something on his shoulders. The novel opens as the narrator, reuven malter, a young jewish boy living in new york during the 1940s, describes the different types of jews living in his brooklyn world. Danny saunders and reuven malters view each other as being very different. Smith period 1 themes of the chosen the chosen is a book about the growth of two young boys. The chosen book one study questions flashcards quizlet. While 2 danny desires to follow his father as the rebbe, or tzaddik, his 3 friendship with reuven and reuvens father, mr.
The narrator of the chosen is reuven malter, a jewish teenager in brooklyn who tells that he grew up several blocks away from danny, not knowing of his existence until he was fifteen. The chosen cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. The chosen is the story of reuven malter, a modern orthodox teen, and danny saunders, a hasidic teen, who meet for the first time on a baseball field in new york. Danny reads so much because he gets bored studying only talmud. This echoes an earlier comment by david malter that the talmud instructs a person to find a teacher and a friend. They live close to each other in williamsburg, brooklyn, but reuven is orthodox and danny is, like many of the residents in the area, hasidic.
As you read book 1, create and complete a venn diagram by listing ways that the two boys are similar and ways. A memorable scene from the film version of chaim potoks the chosen. Role of the fathers in chaim potoks the chosen essay bartleby. But unlike danny, reuven can enter the secular world while still retaining his jewish identity. An ordained rabbi, he served as an army chaplain in korea and received his phd in philosophy from the university of pennsylvania. Study 39 terms chapter 1 the chosen flashcards quizlet. Despite the boys initial antagonism reuven blames danny for deliberately hitting him with the ball the boys develop a warm friendship. Slowly, he closed the talmud from which he and danny had been studying. The chosenchapters by common consent, a mormon blog. The chosen is divided into three books, all narrated by reuven malter in the past tense. He is the author of nine novels, including the chosen 1967, the promise 1969, and my name is asher lev 1972, as well as three plays, three childrens books, and three works of nonfiction. Danny tells reuven that he goes to the library to read books on science and. The next day, danny tells reuven about the books he reads unbeknownst to his father, who is very strict about what danny reads.
The protagonist is a fifteenyearold jewish boy named reuven, who lives in williamsburg, brooklyn. It begins with a description of the novels primary setting, williamsburg, brooklyn, new york, a predominantly immigrant neighborhood where danny saunders, our hero, and reuven live with their respective fathers. The chosen follows reuvens friendship with danny saunders. Then he sighed, a deep, trembling sigh that filled the silence of the room like a wind. On the afternoon of the first day of passover, reuven goes over to the saunderses house, where danny greets him. Brilliant young men from rival yeshivas, reuven and danny first meet on a baseball diamond. Over the course of the novel, the chosen focuses on and gradually expands reuven and dannys discussions. Spoiler alert the chosen by chaim potok is a coming of age realistic fiction novel that follows the two protagonist, danny saunders and reuven malter. The world of the novel is a carefully controlled, patiently manipulative, and exclusive environment, much like the jewish communities of williamsburg in which danny and reuven grow up. Interestingly, though, reuven wants to become a rabbi, while danny, who is expected to become a rabbi, does not. There were fifteen of them, and they were dressed alike in white shirts, dark pants, white sweaters, and small black skullcaps. In 1940s brooklyn, new york, an accident throws reuven malther and danny saunders together.
Every book on your english syllabus summed up in a quote from the office. Graetzs harsh denunciation of the hasidim distresses danny. Danny and reuven s similaritiestheir love of learning, quick minds, and deep jewish faithallow them to relate to one another and become friends. The chosen is a 1981 drama film directed by jeremy kagan, based on the bestselling book of the same name by chaim potok published in 1967. Danny and reuven only meet because of the desire of jewish parochial teachers to. In chapter 8, danny reads graetzs history of the jews. At any rate, reuven, it is good training for danny.
Nov 28, 2017 brilliant young men from rival yeshivas, reuven and danny first meet on a baseball diamond. In the book, the chosen, by chaim poto k, two boys, reuven malter and danny saunders, who are very religiously different and both raised in completely opposite ways, develops a deep friendship. Empathy and silence are intimately twined in the chosen. The key reason why the relationship between danny and reuven changes is because of dannys father, reb saunders. As part 2 in our book club series on the chosen, its time to discuss chapters. Those who are jewish will relate a little easier but those of other faiths can apply the various relationships that occur in this book to their own lives. Although the chosen focuses on danny saunders struggle to stand up to his father and renounce the leadership position that tradition dictates danny inherit, chapter 1 establishes reuven s own personal struggle to accept danny and the hasidic religion that danny and his father represent. After smashing reuvens glasses with a line drive to the face, danny initiates a friendship that changes both their lives. The story begins with a softballbaseball game the author seems to confuse the two gamesin which a ball hit by danny strikes reuven, the pitcher, breaking his glasses and putting him in the hospital.
Nu, reuven, he said quietly, finally, finally you come to see me. Its a poignant story about two teenagers, reuven and danny, who grow up in jewish orthodox. The chosen chapters 14 summary and analysis gradesaver. He said so in the first civil conversation with danny in the hospital, while his eye was still healing. Oct 17, 2018 the chosen is the story of reuven malter, a modern orthodox teen, and danny saunders, a hasidic teen, who meet for the first time on a baseball field in new york. It takes place in new york between the years of 1944 and 1950.
Role of the fathers in chaim potoks the chosen essay. Nov 21, 2008 as part 2 in our book club series on the chosen, its time to discuss chapters. Potok focuses on a handful of motifs and themes in the chosen, carefully weaving them throughout the entire novel. They meet when danny hits a softball in reuvens eye nearly blinding him, and they hate each other at first, but soon come to realize that they were meant to be fast friends. Apr 06, 2012 this first novel, ostensibly about the friendship between two boys, reuven and danny, from the time when they are fourteen on opposing yeshiva ball clubs, is actually a gently didactic differentiation between two aspects of the jewish faith, the hasidic and the orthodox. Essay silence in the chosen silence in the chosen in the book the chosen by chaim potok, there are many situations where silence between characters is present. Danny saunders and reuven malter, whom once hated each other, find close friendship after settling their differences.
The chosen is one of the best novels i have read in the last decade. For the first fifteen years of our lives, danny and i lived within five blocks of each other and. There are several hassidic sects, of which danny saunders belongs to one. I only heard about chaim potok and this there are a lot of jewish people in brooklyn. There are many parallels and contrasts in the book between the two boys and their families some of them are. Fathers 1966 by herbert gold also concerns the relationship between a son and a father.
Think back to potoks description of the baseball game in the beginning of book 1. The chosen tells the story of reuven malter and danny saunders, two jewish, teenage boys growing up mere blocks from one another with no inkling that the other exists. The chosen chaim potok page 15 read online free books. The story is primarilly about two boys, reuven and danny who meet one day in a softball game. The chosen by reuven malter and danny saunders 1191. Reb saunders is a rabbi with very strict beliefs about his jewish faith. The characters in the chosen were so beautifully developed. Danny is surprised that reuven has chosen to become a rabbi, and then resignedly describes his own situation by emphasizing that he has no.
For them to come from backgrounds that are so similar, but at the same time so incredibly different. The two boys danny and reuven began as enemies and then became best friends. Free chapter 1 summary of the chosen by chaim potok. The novel opens as the narrator, reuven malter, a young jewish boy living in new york. Reuven joins danny at his table so that he can hear him read aloud from danny s book, graetzs history of the jews. As his father hopes, by the end of the novel, danny has learned two things that greatly impact his identity. Reuven never would have met danny were it not for the united states entrance into the second world war. I wont try much to direct the discussion this time, other than to offer a few of my favorite quotes. While 2 danny desires to follow his father as the rebbe, or tzaddik, his 3 friendship with reuven and reuven s father, mr.
Dannys father is a hasidic rabbi, and reuven and his father are orthodox jews, but not hasidic. By suffering his fathers silence, danny learns to hear the suffering of the world within that silence. We shook hands and i watched him walk quickly away, tall, lean, bent forward with eagerness and hungry for the future, his metal capped shoes tapping against the sidewalk. There were fifteen of them, and they were dressed alike in white shirts, dark. Why might the author have chosen to reveal this relationship to readers and to reuven in this way. Reuven, on the other hand, provides a tempering, rational perspective, balancing dannys anger and frustration with compassion and contemplation.