The Perception of the World in Chaim Potok The Chosen

My last way which we can feel the most successful in life, is by not fearing the fall. Anytime we step out of what’s normal in society, criticism is sure to follow. Ignoring that fear of going outside of our element and using that energy on what truly really matter to you. Chaim Potok’s novel, The Chosen, demonstrates how omitting fear and doing what matters to you pays off. Danny Saunders is the poster boy of how we should live in this world. Danny Saunders was the son of Reb Saunders and next in line for the Hasidic dynasty. Life for him was a well-oiled machine. Takeover his father position as Tzaddik, marry the girl he was promised to, his life was all mapped out. The only glitch in his life was he wanted so much more but couldn’t. Then there was Reuven Malter. He lived a life extremely opposite from Danny, and that’s not only because his religious practices were different. Reuven had freedom to do, read, be whatever his heart desired. His father’s parenting style put Reuven in a position to succeed, rather than rebel like Reb’s did with his son. One would never think these two would ever become friends, because they were practically enemies.

Then on a warm and sunny day during a baseball game gone wrong, a friendship unlike any other blossomed between Reuven and Danny. From the moment Danny smoked Reuven in the eye with a baseball sending him to the hospital, life was never the same. After many attempts on Danny’s part in trying to talk to Reuven at the hospital, he gave one last effort in apologizing. Reuven finally accepted and befriended him. Danny had become a whole new person because of Reuven. He saw the world in color instead of black and white. When I read about Danny, what I saw was potential. Potential in a boy who had an extraordinary mind and a true passion for psychology. However, his dreams were set aside because of fear. The reason so many of us are not doing what we want to do is we’re scared to fail in something. We need to eliminate and or own that fear and put ourselves in a position to succeed. All Danny’s life he had lived by his father’s rules, his religions rules, but not anymore. The world was changing, and he had to decide what he wanted. Stay where it was safe or take a risk into the unknown. As scary as it may seem to step into the unknown, what awaits is a life filled with the most excitement one could ever feel. For Danny that’s exactly what happened.