The Chosen Danny Character Traits

“But we have to tie the bow on this side!” explains Dawn. Dawn has the gift of organization and paying attention to details, but this gift hinders her from accepting other’s ideas. Like Dawn, Danny, a character in the book, The Chosen, possess traits that both bless and curse him and others. These characteristics, which include intelligence, determination, and independence, give Danny his habits and further him in his goals. His great intelligence appeases his father in his religious life while 00000000000000. Through determination, Danny becomes friends with a former enemy, but causes him to rebel against his parents. He obtains his own ambitions and drifts away from his parents through his independence. Danny’s traits of intelligence, determination, and independence each benefit and injure him.
Beginning with Danny’s intelligence, it serves and harms him. Through his great intelligence, Danny appeases and displeases his father. Danny describes how his mind blesses him through declaring, “I have a photographic mind… I look at a page of Talmud, and I remember it by heart. I understand it too.” (69). He

pleases his father with his incredible mind by memorizing the Talmud, a religious Jewish book. Since his talent furthers him religiously, it delights his father. On the other hand, Danny’s remarkable brain allows him to instantly understand the Talmud texts, which prohibits him from learning how to think through passages. Although his intelligence greatly blesses him and satisfies his father, it steals his chances to learn logic and thinking skills. In these ways, his intelligence blesses and curses him.
Next, Danny possesses great determination, which caused reconciliation and sin.

His determination gives him a friend and disobedience. After a baseball game, Danny regrets hurting his opponent named Reuven and apologizes very sincerely, which resulted in Reuven replying, “No hard feelings,” (Potok 71). This quote displays a result of Danny’s determination to receive forgiveness. Because of his determination, a daily, undying friendship remains between these two boys and blesses both of them. Unfortunately, his determination also causes some habitual disobedience. Danny’s desire to learn new ideas results in him reading secular books in the library everyday without his parents approval. In his determination, Danny causes forgiveness and immoral acts. These examples explain how Danny’s determination benefits him physically and blinds him

morally.
Lastly, Danny’s independence benefits him in hard times, but also pushed him away from his parent’s guidance. Danny knows who is and what he aspires to become, but he still needs guidance from his parents. Unfortunately, Danny’s father only guides Danny when they study Talmud. This fact reveals itself through this quote: “I thought you said your father never talks to you.”[Reuven speaking] “He doesn’t. Except when we study Talmud.” [Danny speaking] (116). Due to his father’s silence, Danny must partially raise himself and use his independence to mature and create his own dreams. In this way, Danny’s gift of independence benefits him, but he still needs needs some guidance from his parents so that he can wisely choose the path he will follow. His independence strengthens Danny as a person, but he ignores the opinion of his parents in his independence. Although Danny’s independence helps him to thrive as a person, he also needs to remain open his parent’s concerns.
Although Danny’s traits of intelligence, determination, and independence presents Danny with advantages and disadvantages. Each trait furthers Danny as a person and damages relationships. His intelligence helps him learn God’s Word, . His determination created his friendship with Reuven, but also causes his continuous rebellion. His independence hurt him in areas of development, but also helped him to remain strong as a person. Overall, Danny’s traits proved useful and useless. Hopefully, readers of the book, The Chosen, notice traits that remain dangerous in leaders, friends, and themselves so that civilizations can avoid the displeasing side of traits.