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The Chosen The story starts out with a fifteen year old, Jewish boy, Reuven Malter, getting ready fo
r a softball game against Danny Saunder's yeshiva team. Tension arises during the game because names
are called against the teams. In the final inning, Reuven is pitching. He pitches the ball to Danny
and Danny hits a line drive right into Reuven's eye. Glass is shattered everywhere apiece gets stuc
k in his eye. Reven is rushed to a hospital where he spends a week recuperating. While he is in the
hospital he makes two friends. Tony Savio, an ex-boxer, and Billy Merrit, a blind boy. While Reuven
is in the hospital, Danny comes to visit him. Danny reveals that he has a photographic memory, and t
hat the Talmud doesn't challenge him. Danny states that he goes to the public library to read books
(his father doesn't approve of Danny reading books). He says that there is a man who recommends book
s for Danny. They both are surprised when they find out that it is Reven's father. After Reuven gets
out of the hospital, Reuven spends Shabbat afternoons at Danny's house. Danny introduces him to his
father, Rabbi Reb Saunders. Reuven also witnesses a public quiz that Reb Saunders gives to Danny du
ring their congregation's Shabbat meal. Danny and Reuven start to spend most of their time in the li
brary in the afternoon, and Saturdays studying the Talmud with Reb Saunders. Reuven finds out that R
eb Saunders believes in raising his son in silence. Reb Saunders never talks to his son except when
they study the Talmud. Meanwhile, almost everyone in the novel is obsessed with news about World War
II. President Roosevelt's death in April 1945 saddens the entire country. In May, Reuven and his fa
ther celebrate the end of the war in Europe, but are shocked by the discovery of concentration camps
behind enemy lines. Everyone, even Reb Saunders, is disturbed by the reports of Jewish suffering an
d death at the hands of the Nazis. Soon Reuven and Danny attend a college. Danny becomes the leader
of the Hasidic student body. Danny takes Freudian psychoanalysis, but he is upset that the teacher d
oesn't put enough emphasis on Freud. However, Reuven makes Danny have a conversation with the profes
sor of the course and it helped Danny a lot. Danny starts to appreciate the experimental method. The
issue of a Jewish state becomes a heated issue and Reuven's father gives a speech for the new sate.
Reb Saunders, an anti-Zionist, forbids Danny to talk to Reuven. Reuven misses the friendship especi
ally when his father has a heart attack and Reuven is lonely. However, this allows Reuven to study t
he Talmud more than ever. After the Jewish state is passed, Reb Saunders allows Danny and Reuven to
talk once more. Meanwhile, Danny secretly applies to graduate programs in psychology, but soon reali
zes that his father will inevitably see letters from the schools in the family's mailbox. One night,
after a discussion with his father, Reuven realizes that Reb Saunders is asking him to come over so
he can indirectly talk to Danny. Reuven goes to their house, and Reb Saunders, using Reuven as a bu
ffer to speak to Danny, finally explains why he raised Danny in silence. He says he always knew his
son had a great mind, but was worried that his soul was empty, unable to empathize with the sufferin
g of others. Silence was a way to make Danny explore his own soul and feel the suffering of the worl
d. Reb Saunders further reveals that he is aware of Danny's plan to become a psychologist instead of
a rabbi. He apologizes to Reuven for separating the two boys, and he apologizes to Danny for raisin
g him in silence. At the same time, he says he saw no other way to raise Danny to become a true tzad
dik--a tzaddik for the world, not only a tzaddik for his congregation. Later, in front of his congre
gation, he gives his blessing to Danny and the life he has chosen for himself. Danny enrolls in a gr
aduate program at Columbia University. Characters Reuven Malter - The narrator of the novel and one
of its two main characters. Reuven is a traditional Orthodox Jew who lives with his father. He obser
ves the Ten Commandments and attends a Jewish parochial school, or yeshiva, where his father teaches
. He is an intelligent, conscientious, and popular boy, talented in softball, math, and Talmud study
. Danny Saunders - The novel's other protagonist. Danny is the son of Rabbi Reb Saunders and should
become a rabbi; however, he doesn't want to become a rabbi. He is a brilliant scholar with a photogr
aphic memory and a deep interest in Freud and psychoanalysis. Danny attends his father's Hasidic yes
hiva, but he reads secular books in secret at the public library. David Malter - A traditional Ortho
dox Jew and a teacher, scholar, writer, and humanitarian. Mr. Malter raises his son, Reuven, to be a
caring and intellectually honest young man. Mr. Malter is known for his support for Zionism. His he
alth gets worse as the novel progresses due to his tireless hard work on behalf of the Zionist movem
ent. Reb Isaac Saunders - Reb Saunders's home is also the center of study and prayer for his followe
rs, who join him at his table every Shabbat. Reb Saunders is a wise, learned, and deeply religious m
an who raises Danny in silence, speaking to him only when discussing the Talmud. At the end of the n
ovel, he reveals that he raised Danny in silence in order to teach him to have compassion for others
. Reb Saunders is fervently committed to his strict and limited Hasidic worldview, and imposes his v
iews on everyone around him.
chosen story starts with fifteen year jewish reuven malter getting rea
dy softball game against danny saunder yeshiva team tension arises during game because names called
against teams final inning reuven pitching pitches ball danny danny hits line drive right into reuve
n glass shattered everywhere apiece gets stuck reven rushed hospital where spends week recuperating
while hospital makes friends tony savio boxer billy merrit blind while hospital comes visit reveals
that photographic memory that talmud doesn challenge states that goes public library read books fath
er doesn approve reading books says there recommends books they both surprised when they find reven
father after gets spends shabbat afternoons house introduces father rabbi saunders also witnesses pu
blic quiz saunders gives during their congregation shabbat meal start spend most their time library
afternoon saturdays studying talmud with saunders finds believes raising silence never talks except
when they study talmud meanwhile almost everyone novel obsessed with news about world president roos
evelt death april saddens entire country celebrate europe shocked discovery concentration camps behi
nd enemy lines everyone even disturbed reports jewish suffering death hands nazis soon attend colleg
e becomes leader hasidic student body takes freudian psychoanalysis upset teacher doesn enough empha
sis freud however makes have conversation professor course helped starts appreciate experimental met
hod issue jewish state becomes heated issue gives speech sate anti zionist forbids talk misses frien
dship especially when heart attack lonely however this allows study more than ever after state passe
d allows talk once more meanwhile secretly applies graduate programs psychology soon realizes will i
nevitably letters from schools family mailbox night after discussion realizes asking come over indir
ectly talk goes their house using buffer speak finally explains raised silence says always knew grea
t mind worried soul empty unable empathize suffering others silence make explore soul feel suffering
world further reveals aware plan become psychologist instead rabbi apologizes separating boys apolo
gizes raising same time says other raise become true tzaddik tzaddik world only tzaddik congregation
later front congregation gives blessing life chosen himself enrolls graduate program columbia unive
rsity characters malter narrator novel main characters traditional orthodox lives observes commandme
nts attends parochial school yeshiva where teaches intelligent conscientious popular talented softba
ll math study novel other protagonist rabbi should become however want brilliant scholar photographi
c memory deep interest freud psychoanalysis attends hasidic yeshiva reads secular secret public libr
ary david malter traditional orthodox teacher scholar writer humanitarian raises caring intellectual
ly honest young known support zionism health gets worse progresses tireless hard work behalf zionist
movement isaac home also center prayer followers join table every shabbat wise learned deeply relig
ious raises speaking only discussing reveals raised order teach have compassion others fervently com
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