The Chosen (Ch 2-4) due Sun, Feb 14 by 8pm
Quote 2 particular lines or passages from within Chap 2-4: one that feels imp’t to the text and one that feels imp’t to you, and explain why they feel imp’t. End your post w/ a question. (Note page #s, 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.
In Chapters 2-4 of "The Chosen" I found that on the bottom page 66, the dialogue felt very important to the story itself, discussing Danny speaking with Reuven again, calmly this time, talking about how he was feeling during the game, unsure why his feelings arose. Danny claims that he felt that he really wanted to actually kill Reuven, that he wasn't being melodramatic, he had this feeling that he just wanted to take a bat to his head during the game. This dialogue is important to the storyline because in the first chapter, from Reuven's perspective, it makes Danny out to be cruel and ruthless, without giving Danny's point of view, and that is how the scene gets set into the reader's head, or in this case, also Reuven's head (or eye I guess). It shows how you don't know everybody's story, like Reuven's father said, how can you *know* something was intentional or not unless you actually ask the person? This is a key development in everybody Reuven sees during this first book of "The Chosen," highlighting how perception is everything, and not everything and everyone are always like it seems at first, sometimes there is something deeper under that.
ReplyDeleteA passage in chapters 2-4 of "The Chosen" that stood out to me personally was on page 53, the passage discusses that if you are blind, it does not matter if your eyes are open or not, everything is the same whether they are open or closed, everything would still be dark. This stood out to me personally because it serves as an analogy of sorts, highlighting the fact that we all strive into a life of unknowing, like we are all blind no matter if we have opened our eyes to so many different things to prepare or we are going in with our eyes closed, head first, the future is still unknown. This is important to me because it feels like a deeper meaning, sometimes life is not straightforward, sometimes you have no idea what lays ahead, and sometimes it feels like that feeling will never go away, but no matter what, it will always be there, and we have to learn to adapt to that and move on with our lives, not worry about the eternal dark that lies ahead.
Regarding the first paragraph, question:
Danny says that he does not know why he wanted to kill Reuven, but also says that he told his father that Reuven was one of the best players/teams out there, do you think that Danny has these feelings because of the pressure from his father? Explain.
I believe that Danny felt great anger and even the desire to kill Reuven during the game, not because of the stress of game, but because of the underlying pressure from his father. The book specifically notes how Danny's father feels about baseball and the excuse that Danny uses to play. He uses the excuse that his team has to defeat the less religious jewish teams. His father is a Hasidic preacher and is deeply devote, I believe that Danny can not enjoy baseball because of the underlying pressure from his father.
DeleteFrom Chapters 2-4 of "The Chosen" I found the passage beginning at the bottom of 67 and continuing to 68. This passage is the second conversation between Danny and Reuven. Reuven was glad to have this conversation because he reflects on his previous days "rotten" comments. He was blinded by his anger but when Danny returned he realized how it was an accident. I find this passage to be important to the text because after Reuven realized the depth of Danny's actions and the Dannys quality of character he finally "had the feeling that everything around [him] was out of focus."(p67). This quote is in the relation to Danny's hasid qualities and the peculiarities that set him apart from Reuven's perception of what a hassidic jew was. This section, the conversation before it, and after it, give me the impression that the two will go on to be friends and Reuven's perspective of the Hassidic jew community and Danny's faith.
ReplyDeleteA passage from chapters 2-4 that connected with me personally was the passage included from page 88 to 89. This passage is the appointment that shows that Reuven's eye has healed to the point where the bandage can be removed and he can see with both eyes. This longer section gave me emence relief because I was worried that Reuven could have been lost the use of his left eye. This relief was accompanied by my sense of worry as now my thoughts turn to Reaven's father who's "cold" has been concerning me. Now that I feel that Reuven's medical troubles have eased I feel the book could turn for the worse with Reuven's fathers health becoming an issue.
My question for chapter 2-4 is this
Will Reuven's father suffer further from his sickness and will it grow in seriousness, or will it fade and all will be well?
I think as time progresses Reuven’s father, Mr. Malter, sickness will become more serious. When he came to see Reuven in the hospital, Reuven mentioned how “he looked thin and worn, and his face was pale. His eyes seemed red behind his steel-rimmed spectacles” (Potok 46). Multiple times when Reuven and his father were talking, Mr. Malter’s “words broke into a rasping cough” (Potok 48). He tried to downplay it by telling Reuven he caught a cold because there was a draft in the classroom. His reasoning is very hard to believe since it is the middle of June. In addition to his sickness, I think the stress of worrying about Reuven will contribute to his declining health.
DeleteI think that Reuven's father seems to be getting worse as time goes on, with Reuven describing his sickly aspects each time his father came to visit him, blaming himself or Danny for making his father sick from worry. However, it seems to be an underlying condition and I think as the book starts to unfold, this will not be something that just goes away as a one time thing, it is most likely something that is going to be life altering for Reuven and/or Danny. It is hard to say from this point, and yes it could just be a one time thing, however I do not believe the author would include it to this extent unless it meant something to the story. We will have to wait to see, but Mr. Malter clearly is not getting any better as time progresses.
DeleteThis reply is from Porter Burkins, ^
DeleteIn chapters 2-4 of The Chosen, I feel that the passages on the bottom of page 45 and the top of page 46 are important to the text because this is the first time we are introduced to Reuven's father, David Malter. After Reuven's eye operation, he had to stay a couple days at the Brooklyn Memorial Hospital and soon after, his father came to visit him. As demonstrated in the book, it appears that their relationship is very strong, full of love and respect, and that Reuven holds his father in high regard. They worry about each other's health - Mr. Malter is worried about Reuven because he just had an operation on his eye, and Reuven is worried about his father’s health. Reuven mentions how his father looked “thin and worn, and his face was pale” (Potok 46) and worries that his father is ill. They also both share a strong devotion to religion. For example, on page 42, Reuven’s father dropped off a small, black skullcap for him and on page 51, he brought Reuven his tefillin and prayer book so he can stay devoted to his faith while in the hospital. He also brought Reuven a radio so he would not be shut off from the world.
ReplyDeleteIn chapters 2-4 of The Chosen, the dialogue on page 75, between Reuven and his father, stood out to me. Reuven’s father was telling Reuven to make Danny his friend. Reuven was unsure and tentative about the idea, but his father kept repeating, “make him your friend” (Potok 75). Reuven responded, “the way he (Danny) acts and talks doesn’t seem to fit what he wears and the way he looks” (Potok 75). This response seemed very important because I think today people are quick to judge others based on their appearance, cultural backgrounds, language, etc. Regardless of the situation or circumstances, we need to take into consideration that everyone’s lives are different. We should respect one another for who we are on the inside and treat others as we ourselves want to be treated rather than make assumptions about others based on their appearance and status in society.
Do you think Danny and Reuven's relationship will have a negative or positive impact on Reuven and his father's relationship?
It seems to me that Reuven looks up to his father, and respects him. He seems to be a big influence on his son, so if he says that he should really try and be friends with Danny, I think that Reuven will listen to him. His dad saying that they should be friends is like confirmation to him that it’s a good choice. I think that Danny and Reuven's relationship will have a positive impact on Reuven and his father's relationship because that will mean that his dad was right, and also that Reuven was right for listening to him. He seemed to have noticed the disguised excitement when Reuven spoke about Danny’s visit. I think that he noticed how they both were really passionate about baseball, and how they might have more in common then they realized. He identified them as people with the potential to be great friends, and he doesn’t seem to want Reuven to miss out on this. Reuven’s father seems to not be doing so well, and I think that he is genuinely looking at things in Reuven’s best interests. I think that to some degree, Reuven understands this .
DeleteWithin chapters 2-4 I found Danny and Reuven’s conversations -the second time Danny came back- to be their real first possible bonding conversion. On pages 69 to the end of the chapter, they talk about an assortment of things, and conversation begins to flow effortlessly between them. Their conversations bring them to how Danny has a photographic mind, and from there, it seems like they really start to open up, and create a bond. After Reuven jokingly accuses Danny of showing off, Danny smiles, and says: “I’m trying to make a good Impression.” (Potok, 69), to which Reuven remarks that he was already impressed. Later, Danny says he’s going to be a Rabbi, and Reuven says that he may be one too. This is when Danny surprises Reuven by asking him why, of all things would he choose that? Danny opens up, and talks about how he would rather be a psychologist, but the Rabbi is an inherited position, so he will become one eventually. This section, on page 69-70 shows Danny and Reuven’s first genuine conversation, and seems important to the text because you get to watch them start to become friends.
ReplyDeleteOn pages 74-75, Reuven’s father seems to be determined for Reuven and Danny to be friends. He watches how his son talks about their interactions, and smiles at Reuven’s change in heart towards Danny. He reminds Reuven that The Talmud says two things, one of which is to choose a friend. His father believes that Danny is that friend. He says: “...make Danny Saunders your friend.”(Potok, 74), and when Reuven casually agrees, his father stops him, and elaborates: “No. Listen to me. I am not talking only about liking him. I am telling you to make him your friend and to let him make you his friend.” (Potok, 74) They talk back and forth, and then the father repeats himself a few times, saying again: “Make him your friend.” (Potok, 75). This is important to me, because his dad seems to be a big influence on him, and I think that his input will further motivate Reuven to become friends with Danny.
Why do you think that Reuven’s father was so insistent that Danny become Reuven’s friend?