Essay | Plot Summary of "The Chosen"

The novel "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok is a story about a Jewish boy growing up in Brooklyn, New York. The story begins with two boys competing in a school softball game. The main character, Danny Saunders, is a Hasidic Jew and his rival, Reuven, is a Modern Orthodox Jew. During the game, Danny hits a ball that injures Reuven and sends him to the hospital for surgery.

Danny begins to visit Reuven in the hospital to apologize for hitting him in the eye. Initially, Reuven does not accept Danny's apology, but after listening to his father's advice, he eventually becomes Danny's friend. As their friendship develops, Danny tells Reuven that he will inherit his father's position one day, and must become a rabbi. However, Danny admits that he would rather become a psychologist. Reuven also learns that Danny and his father...
(read more)