Reuven In Chaim Potok's The Chosen

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Helen Keller once wisely said “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened…”. Truly good pain serves as a tool that God uses to grow someone in their character. But not only does suffering build character, as through pain, a person’s true character manifest itself. Reuven Malter out of Chaim Potok’s good book The Chosen provides a good example of a person’s character showing in pain. At the beginning of Potok’s book an opposing player in a softball game, Danny Saunders, purposefully hits Reuven in the left eye with a softball. As a result, Reuven has to spend a few days in the hospital and experiences a great amount of pain. However, in his greatest moments of pain his outstanding character shines clearly, through his toughness, devotion to God, and the forgiveness that he extends.

First off, Reuven’s good character shines bright as he displays outstanding toughness in suffering. During the good book, when faced with painful obstacles Reuven’s character exhibits itself as he pushed through the …show more content…
Although it took some time, Reuven eventually extended forgiveness to Danny, despite all the pain that he caused in Reuven’s life. The typical person would have most likely held a grudge against Danny and would have tried to avoid him altogether. However, Reuven lets the past go by forgiving Danny, and instead of avoiding him, he starts to spent times with him and they become friends. Eventually, when Danny asks Reuven if he has any hard feelings his injured eye, he responds by saying “No hard feelings…”. Although anger and bitterness could have easily split the two apart, Reuven’s phenomenal characters, which he displayed through forgiveness, allows them to become friends. Even when faced with the person who cause him so much pain, Reuven’s character shines through as extends forgiveness to

Danny And Reuven In Chaim Potok's The Chosen

helps a lonely person feel appreciated and cared for. You see this in The Chosen when Danny and Reuven first start to become close with each other, after Reuven’s time in the hospital. Perfect friendships do not exist and sometimes life can get in the way of a strong bond between two people, and we see this when Danny becomes overwhelmed with extra work, and sickness and is unable to see Reuven throughout his weeks. Reuven however always makes sure to call and check on Danny. Danny experiences sadness…

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The Chosen Friendship Quotes

The two characters, Danny Saunders, a Hasidic Jew, and Reuven Malter, a son of ‘goyim’ continue to captivate the minds of thousands of readers. Why? Is it because of their story, dreams, choices, or religion? Personally, I enjoyed Chaim Potok’s book, The Chosen, because it proved the significance of religion, demonstrated the importance of friendship, and illustrated the necessity for a fatherly figure. Firstly, I enjoyed reading The Chosen because it proved the significance of religion. Not only…

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the chosen Essay

The chosen A person’s vision is demonstrated by their ability to see the world as well as themselves. In Chaim Potok’s book, The Chosen, he illustrates how one moment can change a person’s life forever as their perception of the world and themselves is altered. Reuven Malter, a Jewish boy living in Brooklyn, is involved in an accident, which changes his perspective on life. The accident alters the life of Danny Saunders as well. Billy Merrit is in an accident too, and his life is never the same…

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Reb Saunders In Chaim Potok's The Chosen

Hebrew War-Priest. Reb Saunders; dedicated, no-nonsense, and certainly a warrior from Chaim Potok’s The Chosen. The way rebbe Reb Saunders controls his community to the way he rules his son, the character portrays similarities to traditions of the old Orthodox Judaism. The definition of Reb Saunders in The Chosen is crucial to signify how different Danny and Reuven are. Danny lives in a strict household, whilst Reuven lives in a more fluid house. In the rebbe position, Reb requires a strong stance as…

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The Balance Of A Father In Chaim Potok's The Chosen

balance between giving freedom and providing guidance to their children. In Chaim Potok’s The Chosen, David Malter succeeds in doing so. He has a modern, flexible stance on Jewish religion and has trained up his son Reuven as such. For a living he writes articles on the Talmud, usually doing so in his windowless study by candlelight. The Talmud encompasses a large part of Jewish life, and Mr. Malter spends time helping Reuven study the Talmud and gently guiding him in the way he ought to act. Mr. Malter…

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Reb Saunders Brother In Chaim Potok's The Chosen

In Chaim Potok's novel The Chosen, one of the main characters, Danny, is a brilliant scholar who is faced with a troubling situation at home, due to his aspiration to study and become a psychologist, and what his father wants: for Danny to become a rabbi. Solomon Maimon and Reb Saunders' brother were both Jewish scholars whose short lives brought loss and pain due to their cold, calculating minds. The two were also different in that Reb Saunders' brother was a teacher, who had an impatient nature…

Words 469 - Pages 2