The Chosen (Ch 1) due Sun, Feb 7 by 8pm
Identify a particular image that stood out for you in Chapter 1. Describe in detail what you envision and why you think it struck you. End your post w/ a question. (Make your post 2 paragraphs long, and SKIP A LINE BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS.)
Also, reply to at least one student's post.
Also, reply to at least one student's post.
An image that stood out to me in Chapter 1 was on page 7, when Davey Cantor was talking to Reuven Malter during warm-up for the softball game. Davey and Reuven were discussing the other team, and Davey warned Reuven that their opponents were Orthodox Jews who attended a Jewish parochial school. Davey referred to them as "murderers" and Reuven seemed very skeptical of Davey's comment. It was evident that Reuven did not take Davey seriously.
ReplyDeleteI chose this scene because I could envision a descriptive image of Reuven and Davey standing near the wire screen behind home plate, waiting for the game to begin. Reuven was wearing glasses, black shorts, a green polo shirt, and a black skullcap. Unlike their opponents, Reuven's softball team did not have a uniform. The Orthodox Jews were dressed alike in white shirts, dark pants, white sweaters, and small, black skull caps. Their hair was shaved except for the area around their ears which tumbled down into long side curls. They also wore the traditional undergarment under their shirts and the tzitzit which dangled down from their belt. The two teams wore distinctly different uniforms which contributed to Reuven’s assumption that the game would not be challenging because they were faithful Orthodox Jews who appeared unathletic due to their appearance. This image struck me because I was shocked that the Jewish parochial schools had to organize competitive leagues in a variety of sports to prove to the non-Jewish world that yeshiva students were as physically fit and athletically capable as American students. This scene demonstrated how the rest of American society perceived people of the Jewish faith as weaker physically, but strong academically, based upon their appearance and study habits. I wonder if losing the game changed Reuven’s view about Orthodox Jews?
I am unsure if the game really changed much about his views, it certainly changed his physical viewpoint, now barely being able to see, but I do not know if it changed it mentally regarding the Orthodox Jews. Personally, I didn't see that situation as him feeling that they were not competent in sports due to being Orthodox Jews, I felt that situation was more discussing about the two different worlds they came from, the two different styles of who they were, but at the same time, he did seem less threatened by their black and white wear and did seem to look down on them in a way. It really is hard to say from this chapter overall though, the chapter ends pretty abruptly after the game where Reuven is getting called a cab for his wounds. I think I would have to see his thoughts or monologue afterwards in Chapter 2 to fully answer this question.
DeleteI think that to some degree, losing the game did end up altering his view, even if it was just slightly. He seemed to be pretty worryless when the team showed up, and didn’t really see them as much of a threat in the beginning- partially because they were Orthodox Jews. When his teammate told him that they were “murderers”, he responded causally, and seemingly unconcernedly with “Everyone plays to win, Davey.” (Potok, 7). When Danny and Reuven had that moment at the end when Danny anticipated, and hit Reuven’s curveball, I think that it actually impressed Reuven. Before then, he seemed to be destroying the other players with his pitches, and I don’t remember if even one was able to hit a ball he threw. When Danny reacted to his cleverness by carefully calculating his methods -even though Reuven probably hates him for it- he was in some degree impressed. This may have changed his view on Orthodox Jews, because Danny had proved him wrong, and allowed Reuven to underestimate him.
DeleteAn image that stood out for me in Chapter 1 of "The Chosen" was on page 26. In this moment, Reuven is standing on second plate with Danny Saunders at the plate, watching the split moment as Danny warms up his swing, the ball approaching the plate, knowing it is going to be a line drive hit over the pitcher's head. When the ball cracked, Reuven's glove was already up in the air, as Dov Shlomowitz who had barreled into him early was running down the second base line towards him, propelling himself into the air as the ball clasped into the mitt causing Reuven to crash back onto the ground with force. He described catching the ball as "an impact that numbed my hand and went through me like an electric shock" (Harp 26).
ReplyDeleteThis image/scene in my mind stood out to me because it was almost as if in that moment of desperation and intent to catch the line drive ball he knew was coming, time slowed down, the world around him became almost to a standstill as all the events started to happen in succession. I could see the image in my head vividly, of his feet leaving the ground off next to the dusty plate, just giving enough spring to reach his hand up in the air, the ball landing with a thud that you can just hear in your mind. That moment is definitely something that stood out for me, both for the description that allowed me to really envision the scene, but also from past experience playing some baseball, knowing that shrilling pain when a hard ball hits your fingers, slapping a numbing pain down your arm and throughout your hand. Though this moment may have not had such background of that of the situation between both teams in this situation, that moment was a small moment where things seemed to feel like they could turn around, being able to envision the pure shock and smiles on people's faces on the field as the ball was caught and thrown for two outs in one play, clearing the inning. Even when they felt there was little hope, being mocked and laughed at by the other team, despite in the end not winning, this moment was a shining turn around point for the spirit of the team and the determination to "win the war" as their coach would put it. Yet, at the same time, even though this scene struck me as a turn-around point, was it the play itself that caused that turn-around in spirit, or was it the determination from Reuven that lied within, willing to thrown himself at the ball on the field?
I agree with you Porter about this scene slowing down to a frame by frame moment. Though I lack a great knowledge about baseball as a whole and catching a hard hit it is interesting to see your personal connection to this moment. I think that this was a important and stunning moment because as you said it was critical to the spirits of Reuven's and showed his determination and competitiveness as he was able to catch Danny out and also get the ball to first for the final out of the inning. I also agree with you Porter that this moment was a good example of the teams determination and their coaches spirit. I am also interested to see if I got the sense of "turn around spirit" because of my attachment to the game or to Reuven. I hope that my great appreciation of Reuven's character will develop further.
DeleteAn image that stood out for me in the first chapter of "The Chosen" was on page 30 and 31. The main character’s glasses had been broken by the baseball hit by Danny Saunders. He recalled his wrist hurting from the fastball he caught earlier, and also his head hurting. “... I could feel the bump coming up on my forehead.” (Potok, 30) this moment was near the end of the game, and he had been practically undefeated with his pitches until that one.
ReplyDeleteI chose this scene because everything was going down quickly, and although it was summed up pretty fast, the author included a lot of detail. After being unable to react in time to the fastball that he had thrown at Danny in time, it had “...hit the finger section of my glove, deflected off, smashed into the upper rim of the left lens of my glasses, glanced off my forehead, and knocked me down.” (Potok, 29). Reuven had immediately felt the disappointment and furiosity of letting Danny hit that ball, and even worse, getting hit in the head with it. After that moment, everything went downhill. His vision was pretty much gone now that his glasses were shattered, and to make things worse, a piece of glass was in his eye, stinging every time he blinked, or moved it. His wrist had been hurting since catching an earlier ball, but now, the pain was intensified, and throbbed miserably. His head was feeling awful, and it pounded more and more as the game slowly came to an end. “...wondered why he was shouting. His voice hurt my head and rang in my ears.” (Potok, 30). His injuries were salt in the wound as he watched his team start to lose, while he could do nothing about it. The pain in his eye “was so intense that I could feel it in the base of my spine.” (Potok, 30). The author describes these moments with vivid detail, making you feel and see everything that Reuven does. He sat on the bench until the game was over, and they lost 7 to 8. After that, he began to cry at the pain in his left eye, and Mr.Galanter came over to him, and then ran off to call a cab. How do you think that this series of events affects the new relationship between Danny and Reuven, and do you think that it will intensify, or change?
I think that these series of events will have a negative effect on, and intensify, Danny and Reuven’s new relationship. Throughout chapter 1, there was high tension between Danny and Reuven. On page 12 before the softball game began, Danny walked by Reuven and ignored him completely as he passed by. Reuven told himself that he “did not like his [Danny] Hasidic-bred sense of superiority and that it would be a great pleasure to defeat him and his team in this afternoon’s game” (Potok 12). Later on in the game when Danny was standing on Reuven’s base, he told Reuven that he and his team were “going to kill you apikorsim this afternoon” (Potok 18). Danny was an Orthodox Jew who was part of a very different sect of Judaism than Reuven, and he perceived any Jews who did not strictly practice Judaism as those who are Orthodox do, to be unfaithful. As the game continues, it becomes a kind of holy war due to Danny and Reuven’s differing religious beliefs which I feel will have a negative impact on their relationship.
DeleteThe image that stood out the most to me despite its cliche nature, was the final scene of Reuven role in the bar game. His final pitches to Danny, Danny's strange reaction to his strikes, and finally the fateful hit that put Reuven out of the game. I can see this scene so clearly from the strangeness of Danny's grinning to the shattering to Reuven's glasses.
ReplyDeleteWhy this longer scene have been so engraved in my mind is because of a few reasons. First it really stuck with me because of the tension in the game created by Danny standing at the plate and both teams great desire to win. I found myself wanting Reuven teams to win because of the other teams harsh verbal abuse and my love of the coach and his heart and love of the team. Another reason this scene appealed to me was because of Danny's reaction to his two strikes. I understand that he would be frustrated that he he was being outmatched but his reaction of standing still and grinning at Reuven for an uncomfortable amount of time seems out of place to me. I am unsure of Danny's character as of yet. I know he is quiet, determined, and also he seems to be much more complicated than I anticipated. His adapting to Reuven's final pitch shows his intelligence as well as his determination to defeat the team he seems to believe is bellow his. I think that the final most important moment of this scene was the shattering of Reuven's glasses. I think that how this chapter ends, Reuven's eye injury will play a role in the future chapters. My question is how will Danny and Reuven connect in the future? I know from the first page they will form a relationship.