The Chosen, By Chaim Potok

Change is good. Our world is changing constantly and we must be able to adapt to this. The main characters in The Chosen by Chaim Potok, Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein and The Man to Send Rainclouds by Leslie Marmon Silko recognize this. Adapting how we live and our traditions is necessary to live in this world, even though tradition is still very important.

Tradition is a central theme throughout the entire play of Fiddler on the Roof. It dictates the way the residents of Anatevka live. Though, while they stay in the same mindset of living, the rest of the world is evolving. The three daughters of Tevye are able to get out of this mindset and show Tevye and the rest of the town that change is beneficial. When Tzeitel and Motel

decide to marry for love, this is unheard of. It offends Tevye that they would want to disrespect his agreement with Lazar Wolff and attempt to change the usual marriage arrangements. His mind is easily changed and he allows them to marry because of their love for each other and, “Even a poor tailor is entitled to some happiness.” This marks the beginning of Tevye accepting change into his life, despite being used to following the traditions. In result of him allowing them to marry, Motel and Tzeitel were incredibly happy together. His willingness to stray from normal traditional resulted in a happy marriage and a happy daughter.
Then, Hodel and Perchik fall in love and get engaged without Tevye's permission, which further breaks down the tradition of marriage and replaces it with the need for love.

They tell Tevye that they are engaged and that they just want his blessing, similar to modern day engagements. He blesses the marriage and Hodel eventually moves to Siberia to be with Perchik. Their marriage symbolizes the tradition starting to break down into something much better. True love and devotion is always better than a set standard. Even Tevye and Golde themselves realize this when they sing about how they’ve slowly fallen in love with the song “Do You Love Me?” The true reality that times were changing and that the community needed to adapt to the changes had become very apparent. The outside world was going to evolve with or without the residents of

Anatevka.
Then, Chava and Fyedka decided to elope with a priest and Tevye does not have the strength to let this pass by him. This is one instance where tradition is more important and the correct route, in Tevye’s mind. He disowns Chava for marrying outside of the religion. He has been extremely open minded and willing to change for the better, but Chava’s actions step over the line. During the entire play, Tevye accepts the idea of changing his ways for the sake of the stability and happiness of the future; the world is changing and so must he.

In the book The Chosen by Chaim Potok, we are introduced to two unlikely friends; a conservative Jew and a Hasidic Jew.

Their entire lives, though both different, are dictated by tradition and repetition. They have many expectation that they are to meet, especially their fathers’ expectations. Danny is intended to inherit the role of being the tzaddik, even though he has no desire to be one. He is incredibly indecisive about his future, because one side of him wants to see the family legacy of tzaddiks continue, but he knows he’ll never be happy with that life. Danny decides to break free from his father’s wishes, and studies secular knowledge in college, without his beard and earlocks. If he had become a tzaddik like expected, he would’ve spent the rest of his life unhappy. What’s the point in following a tradition if it doesn’t bring you

happiness?

The traditions of the Pueblo Indians in A Man to Send Rain Clouds by Leslie Marmon Silko are very strong and deeply rooted. Though, they are able to combine Christian and Native traditions together for Teofilo’s burial. Leon asks Father Paul if he could sprinkle holy water on Teofilo so that he is “not thirsty” and at first Father Paul says no. But he eventually agrees, and his participation in the Indian burial combines the two cultures, and resolves a conflict. “He felt good because it was finished, and he was happy about the sprinkling of the holy water; now the old man could send them big thunder clouds for sure.” (Page 361, line 26) In a small way, Father Paul joins Leon’s Native American community just by the small task of sprinkling holy water on the gravesite. Leon and Father Paul were both willing to change the way they would normally do things, and it resulted in a positive conclusion.
Adaptation to the changes in our world is a part of life, and our traditions have to adapt with us. Our traditions are very important, yes, but they can be changed and adjusted to better suit the modern day. The character in all three texts were flexible and open minded to these tasks. Tradition is a significant part of everyday life and it should be able to change with us and the world’s mindset.