Theme Of Friendship In The Chosen By Chaim Potok

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of friendship is “the relationship between friends.” However, there is no true way someone can truly define an actual friendship because every friendship goes through different obstacles. In the novel The Chosen by Chaim Potok, two unlikely individuals that would never be thought of as friends slowly create a bond of friendship that could never be broken. In the novel the theme of how friendship is important is revealed by the imagery, symbolism, and external conflict.

Potok uses vivid imagery to show a certain character's emotions.In addition, “Potok usesimagery of the eyes and eyeglasses to convey the times when a character is faced with a challenge that will result in him seeing the world

differently” (NovelGuide) .For example, one of the main protagonists, Danny Saunders, has contradicted himself with the use of nonverbal imagery several times throughout the novel.“ The look on Danny's face, though, when I saw him for the first time, helped a little.He passed me in the hallway; his face a suffering mask of pain and compassion”(Potok 241). By adding this type of image, it clearly shows how Malter is somewhat worried about his friend. After he notices his friend is frustrated , Malter asks Danny what is wrong, which leads to Danny opening up to him. Without this moment added in the novel, Danny Saunders would have continued being frustrated and would have been in an argument with Malter at some point which would have led to their friendship ending. This shows how the imagery was needed to show how Malter and Danny really feel and what is thinking.
Potok also includes symbolism to the novel to develop the characters and their relations with another character.

The symbolism in the novel is represented by sight and vision. Sight and vision have affected both Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders throughout the novel. For example, in the beginning of the novel Malter suffers and eye injury by the hands of yet to be friend, Danny Saunders. This leads to Malter going to the hospital. When Malter leaves the hospital he becomes more aware of his surroundings and appreciates that he still has his vision. “The world jumped into focus and everything looked suddenly bright and fresh and clean, as it does on an early morning with the sun on the trees, and there was newness everywhere, a feeling that I had been away a long time in a dark place and was now returning home to sunlight”(Potok,Chaim 95). By Malters change of mind, this leads to him giving Danny Saunders a second Chance, which will lead the young men being friends. On the other hand, “The more symbolic interpretation of sight and vision is applied differently to both Reuven and Danny”(Nielsen,Sheila). Later on in the novel Danny Saunders eyes started to bother him. This leads to him getting glasses which did leave him uncomfortable. Since this is something he has never experienced before, the symbolic interpretation of this would be the fact that he will soon step out of his comfort zone. Because of this new change in his life, this will affect Both Danny Saunders and Malter

and will bring their friendship even closer. This obviously shows how Potok wanted to help the two friends bond with the symbolism of sight and vision.
Potok provides external conflict in the book to bring characters together. One example of external conflict found in The Chosen would be the relationship between Danny Saunders and his Father. Throughout the novel Danny Saunders mentions the fact that he doesn't want to be next in the line in his family to become a Jewish spiritual leader. However, his father had always wanted him to become the next Jewish leader since the day Danny Saunders was born,but Danny had never spoken to his father about the subject because his father and him don’t speak to each other”He doesn't like to talk too much, either. Oh, he talks plenty when we're studying Talmud together. But otherwise he doesn't say much”.(Potok,Chaim72).Malter was in complete shock when he heard that Danny and his father don’t speak to each other often.To help add the theme of friendship,Potok develops the friendship by Malter helping Danny Saunders talk to his father to tell him what he really wants . After his father finds out what Danny really wants through the help of Malter, he lets Danny pursue his dreams. This is a clear example of how Potok wanted the external conflict of Danny Saunders and his father to help the friendship of the two individuals.
Because of the way Chaim Potok created devices such as symbolism, imagery, and external conflict, the theme of how friendship is important was perfected. This novel shows how with the support or guidance of another person, anyone can get somewhere with help from a friend. This book gives the readers a different perspective of friendship that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.