Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors
used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
Eyes and Eyeglasses
The prevalence of eyes and eyeglasses in The Chosen reflects
the novel’s emphasis on perception of the world and of oneself.
Eyes and eyeglasses represent vision, not only in the literal sense,
but also in a broader, figurative sense. After injuring his eye,
Reuven develops a better appreciation of his eyesight. At the beginning
of Danny and Reuven’s friendship, Danny works to make Reuven more
aware and more willing to open his eyes to the world. As Danny develops an
increased awareness of the world beyond his Hasidic community, his
eyes grow weary and he begins to wear glasses.
Eyes are not just used for looking; they are also meant
to be looked at. The way characters’ eyes reveal their interior
states implies that perception is a two-way process, not only about
looking but about studying and receiving as well. When angry and
withdrawn, David Malter’s eyes become dark. When pleased and proud, Reb
Saunders’s eyes mist over. David Malter uses the eye as an example
of the miracle of life, saying, “the eye that blinks, that is something.”
Mentions of eyes in the novel symbolize the importance of perception,
and also the way reciprocity can improve perception.
The Talmud
Throughout The Chosen, there
is only limited discussion of the Torah, the Jewish Bible and most
holy of texts, and almost no mention of the Kabbalah, the mystic
literature that is very important to Hasidic tradition. Instead,
Potok places an unusual emphasis on the Talmud, which contains a
series of commentaries by rabbis. Study of the Talmud, as demonstrated
in the novel, involves active engagement of its commentaries and
a willingness to challenge the text and to resolve conflicting points.
Therefore, Potok’s emphasis on Talmudic study in The Chosen symbolizes the
importance of actively engaging tradition and pursuing knowledge
in order to attain a unique and personal interpretation of Judaism
and the world in general.
