the chosen Essay

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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 again. This book depicts that a single moment in a person’s life can change him forever. Reuven Malter is a teenager living in Brooklyn with his father. He is from a modern orthodox religious background and he attends a secular yeshiva. Reuven is a member of the baseball team, and during a game against a Hasidic school, a boy on the other team, Danny Saunders, hits the ball into Reuven's eye. A piece of glass from Reuven’s glasses is imbedded in his eye so he is rushed to the hospital. Reuven is examined by three different doctors and rushed to surgery. When Reuven wakes up he is shocked to see himself in the hospital. His father informs him that the doctor said that his eye might not heal correctly and he could be partially blind for the rest of his life. He is told he is not allowed to read, so his father brings him a portable radio. Five days later, the doctor examines his eye again and tells him that it healed properly and he is permitted to return home. Reuven’s perspective on life changes after coming so close to being blind, because he does not take seeing for granted and appreciates life so much more. One incident in man’s life can change the way he lives. While Reuven is in the hospital, one of his roommates is a ten-year-old boy named Billy Merrit. Billy is blinded in a car accident when he was younger. He is at the hospital to undergo surgery that will restore his eyesight. Reuven later learns that Billy’s operation is unsuccessful and he will now remain blind. Billy’s life changes drastically when he is in the tragic car accident. Reuven’s interaction with Billy in the hospital allows him to empathize with others suffering and have a broader view of the world around him. Traumatic events can alter someone’s life forever. After Danny Saunders hits the ball into Reuven’s eye, he visits him in the
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