Jules' Book of Israeli Poetry

The book of poetry by the Israeli poet that Maya gives to Jules as a gift is a symbol of Jules' burgeoning self-discovery at the beginning of the novel. Jules compares himself to this poet and finds himself lacking. What might he have accomplished, he wonders, if he had devoted his life to more spiritual pursuits? He quotes a poem from this book, "The soul is a sea that we swim in. It has no shore on this side, and only far away, on the other side, is there a shore, and that is God" (25). Jules is contemplating what Rabbi Klausner has told him about his ancestral relationship to David, and considering a potential change in his life and value system.

Jules' Annunciation Painting

Jules' 600 year old Florentine painting of the annunciation is a symbol of his desire to transcend the confines...