The Assistant Summary
Bernard Malamud

Everything you need to understand or teach The Assistant by Bernard Malamud.

The Assistant Summary & Study Guide
1 Student Essay
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30 The Assistant Lessons
20 Activities
180 Multiple Choice Questions
60 Short Essay Questions
20 Essay Questions
Pre-Made Tests and Quizzes
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The Assistant Summary

The Assistant is a morality drama in which human kindness and honesty, despite appearance, triumph over callousness and greed and transform lives. Morris Bober and his family live in poverty because he refuses to exploit his equally impoverished neighbors. Honesty and morality prevent the realization of the American Dream for him and his family. An attempted robbery at his store acts as a catalyst in forging a surprising working relationship and friendship that...

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Study Pack

The The Assistant Study Pack contains:

The Assistant Study Guide

Overview

About the Author

Plot Summary

Chapter Summaries

Free Quiz

Characters

Setting

Themes

Style

Quotes

Adaptations

Topics for Discussion

Essay Topics

Ideas for Reports and Papers

Further Study

Bernard Malamud Biographies (6)

Bernard Malamud

6,615 words, approx. 23 pages

Bernard Malamud (1914-1986) is considered one of the most prominent figures in Jewish-American literature, a movement that originated in the 1930s and is known for its tragicomic elements.Malamud's st... Read more

Bernard Malamud

2,798 words, approx. 10 pages

"The purpose of the writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself," Bernard Malamud remarked in 1958, quoting existential writer Albert Camus. He managed to uphold this purpose during his half... Read more

Bernard Malamud

9,307 words, approx. 32 pages

In recent years, it has been impossible to discuss the career of Bernard Malamud without mentioning his place as the second partner, along with Bellow and Roth, in the ruling triumvirate of Jewish-Ame... Read more

Bernard Malamud

5,866 words, approx. 20 pages

Bernard Malamud writes Jewish-American fiction. He has been a leader in this field for years and has received international acclaim for his novels and short stories. His first short story, "Benefit Pe... Read more

Bernard Malamud

12,943 words, approx. 44 pages

Bernard Malamud , along with Saul Bellow and Philip Roth, holds a preeminence among Jewish American writers that has consistently been reaffirmed by recent critical assessments. Early in Malamud cri... Read more

Bernard Malamud

13,694 words, approx. 46 pages

Biography EssayIn recent years, it has been impossible to discuss the career of Bernard Malamud without mentioning his place as the second partner, along with Bellow and Roth, in the ruling triumvirat... Read more

Essays & Analysis (1)

Character Analysis for "Frank Alpine" of "The Assistant"

504 words, approx. 2 pages

In Bernard Malamud's The Assistant, Frank Alpine is a man plagued by a disparity between his internal desires or ideals and his actions. He struggles with his tendency to steal and his inability to co... Read more

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