The Chosen Summary
Chaim Potok

Everything you need to understand or teach The Chosen by Chaim Potok.

The Chosen Summary & Study Guide
20 Student Essays
1 Encyclopedia Article
12 Literature Criticisms
1 Book Notes
...and more

30 The Chosen Lessons
20 Activities
180 Multiple Choice Questions
60 Short Essay Questions
20 Essay Questions
Pre-Made Tests and Quizzes
...and more

The Chosen Summary

While Chaim Potok's central characters in The Chosen struggle between the spiritual obligations of Orthodox Judaism and secular American life, they also reflect universal conflicts between fathers and sons. The novel, Potok's first, was published in 1967 and enjoyed a wide readership, as well as critical acclaim. Potok received the Edward Lewis Wallant Award and a nomination for the National Book Award for The Chosen. The novel focuses on its two main characters, Danny...

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The Chosen Study Guide

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Characters

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Style

Criticism

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Topics for Further Study

Encyclopedia Articles (1)

The Chosen

4,067 words, approx. 14 pages

The Chosen by Chaim Potok Chaim Potok was born in 1929 in the Bronx, New York, the child of Hasidic parents who had fled Eastern Europe. After graduating from Yeshiva University in 1950, he went on... Read more

Chaim Potok Biographies (3)

Chaim Potok

4,817 words, approx. 17 pages

Chaim Potok "wrote of what he knew best, Jewish-Americans in the 20th century struggling with two contradictory yet valid points of view," according to Shirley Saad writing for the United Press Intern... Read more

Chaim Potok

7,745 words, approx. 26 pages

Chaim Potok, rabbi and critical scholar of Judaic texts, has demonstrated in his literary career that the American novel is indeed a viable genre for writing about Jewish theology, liturgy, history, a... Read more

Chaim Potok

8,430 words, approx. 29 pages

Essays & Analysis (32)

Critical Essay by Karl Shapiro

630 words, approx. 3 pages

637 words, approx. 3 pages

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Critical Essay by Eliot Fremont-smith

212 words, approx. 1 pages

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Critical Essay by Johanna Kaplan

723 words, approx. 3 pages

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Critical Essay by Hugh Nissenson

767 words, approx. 3 pages

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Critical Essay by Caroline Salvatore

160 words, approx. 1 pages

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Critical Essay by Sam Bluefarb

1,837 words, approx. 7 pages

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Critical Review by Granville Hicks

1,139 words, approx. 4 pages

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Critical Essay by Edward A. Abramson

9,085 words, approx. 31 pages

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Critical Review by Edmund Fuller

1,032 words, approx. 4 pages

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Critical Review by Sandra Schmidt

546 words, approx. 2 pages

341 words, approx. 2 pages

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Religious Appreciation of Family Life

1,277 words, approx. 5 pages

My Name is Asher Lev's Asher and The Chosen's Reuven Malter were brought up in much the same fashion, but Reuven seems to appreciate his family more than Asher does. Their families are also quite s... Read more

The Chosen

678 words, approx. 3 pages

Many challenges across which people come are definitive of their life. They derive their success and integrity from their mistakes and the obstacles they have overcome. The experience leaves people ... Read more

Friendship in The Chosen by Chaim Potok

297 words, approx. 1 pages

        In the first book of the novel The Chosen written by Chaim Potok, the author shows that the beginning of a true friendship will defy all boundaries whether ther... Read more

Critical Analysis: The Chosen

613 words, approx. 3 pages

I was caught off guard by Chaim Potok's The Chosen. Through the first few pages of the novel, I was a bit skeptical of the rest of the story, however, after the first chapter, I was unable to put it... Read more

The Chosen

1,200 words, approx. 5 pages

In Chaim Potok's, The Chosen, he highlights the lives of a couple young men as they grow both together and individually. One of the boys is Daniel Saunders, the son of a tzaddik and Hasidic Jew. He c... Read more

Values in "The Chosen"

750 words, approx. 3 pages

Throughout my reading of the novel, The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, and I definitely did read it, I found three distinct values to be evident. Friendship, individuality and religion were very focused ... Read more

The Chosen, and Related Readings

2,050 words, approx. 7 pages

The story "In my Father's Court," by Isaac Bashevis Singer connects in many ways to both The Chosen and My Name is Asher Lev, both written by Chaim Potok. Danny Saunders, from The Chosen, is the so... Read more

The Chosen: Examining Points of View

875 words, approx. 3 pages

The Chosen by Chaim Potok has many religious, historical, and worldly points of views. The characters of this book share a common religious culture and live in the same community, but attend different... Read more

Assimilation in the Chosen

410 words, approx. 2 pages

"Assimilate v. To absorb into the prevailing culture." The story in The Chosen at times seems to be near the quintessence of that definition. The characters in the book were all affected by it in so... Read more

The Chosen, A Review and Summary

736 words, approx. 3 pages

As people mature they begin to realize what the destination of their lives will be, but the also remember those who helped them to get there. In "The Chosen" Danny is a faithful religious young man. W... Read more

The Chosen, a Review

820 words, approx. 3 pages

Reb Saunders raised his son in silence. During the time of which this book was written, it was considered "another way to raise" a child. Reb Saunders did this to show his child compassion. When D... Read more

Symbolism in the Chosen

507 words, approx. 2 pages

In The Chosen Chaim Potok, author, uses eyes to signify Danny Saunders and his personality. Three examples of this are when Danny hits Reuven in the eye, when Danny gets glasses, and how Danny blinks... Read more

Raising Children in the Chosen

500 words, approx. 2 pages

Families choose many ways to raise their children, such as to be brought up in freedom, or to be "brought up in silence." Families are always big influences in their children's lives, the influence i... Read more

The Chosen

1,547 words, approx. 6 pages

T.J. Warner Prof. Vogel Literary Analysis Dec. 8, 2004 The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, is a story about two Jewish boys who lived only five blocks from each other, but they never knew about one ano... Read more

Book Review of "The Chosen"

665 words, approx. 3 pages

In Chaim Potok's novel: The Chosen, Danny Saunders, the son of a Hasidic Rabbi has to come to terms with his own future following in his father's footsteps as a rabbi. During his early teenage ye... Read more

Family Life in "The Chosen"

728 words, approx. 3 pages

There is a very interesting portrait of family life provided in this work of literature. The first thing I noticed when I began reading this book was that the Malters are missing a primary female inf... Read more

Plot Summary of "The Chosen"

587 words, approx. 2 pages

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 Sa... Read more

The Roles of Silence in the Chosen

1,056 words, approx. 4 pages

Silence is like the wind. Sometimes you feel it, rushing through your hair and causing goose bumps on your arms and legs, while other times it goes by unnoticed, filling your lungs unfailingl... Read more

Conflicts in "The Chosen"

710 words, approx. 3 pages

The Chosen, a book by Chaim Potok, is about two Jewish boys and their friendship. Danny Saunders and Reuven Malters are friends that have a lot of conflicts due to religion and family pressures. The t... Read more

Appreciating the Blessings in Life

1,108 words, approx. 4 pages

Too many people in the world will go through life and never understand how fortunate they are. Children and adults alike take advantage of the things and abilities that they possess. In The Chosen b... Read more

Free Book Notes (1)

The Chosen

14,763 words, approx. 50 pages

The Chosen Book Notes is a free study guide on The Chosen by Chaim Potok. Browse the summary below:   Author Biography / Context of the Work   One-Page Plot Summary   Character De... Read more

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