Quote 2 particular lines or passages from within Chap 5-12: one that feels imp’t to the text and one that feels imp’t to you, and explain why they feel imp’t. End your post w/ a question. (Note page #s.)
"They all followed him" I asked. "Just like that?" "of course. They would have followed him anywhere." "I don't understand that. I didn't know that a rabbi had that kind of power" "He's more than a rabbi" Danny said. "he's a tzaddik." p114 I feel that this quote was important to the story because it showed how the jewish members followed his father and how much power he had over the members. "my fathers coming", he said.His voice was quiet and, I thought a little strained" p 119 I think this quote shows how Danny's father holds his power over all his members and his family and because of that Danny lives a double life.
I agree with you on the fact that Reb Saunders seems to remind his people and his son that he has power over everyone and they all need to respect him. Throughout this book I have had mixed feelings about what I think of Reb Saunders and I still don't entirely know if I like him.
I really like this quote because it is very reviling about their relationship. I also think Danny's father is more powerful than he seems to be and their is something hidden behind him. I would like to know more about Danny and his dads relationship.
I agree with Sage; I would LOVE to know more about the relationship between Danny and his father. More importantly, I would love to be able to hear from Danny's father as to why he never talks to Danny except for studying the Talmud, because I'm sure he has his reasons even though it's probably hard for Danny to basically not have a relationship with his father at all.
FYI: Justin had written a question to go with his post, but I deleted it because it was a spoiler of sorts. I've invited him to post his question next weekend.
"I felt I had crossed into another world, that little pieces of my old self had been left behind on the black asphalt floor of the school yard alongside the shattered lens of my glasses." (96) This quote is important to me because I like how the author changes Revuen's view on some things. When someone goes through a rough situation like Revuen, once you recover from it you may see things from a different view and have different opinions on it. "I admire him. I don't know what he's trying to do to me with this weird silence that he's established between us, but I admire him." (191) I think this quote is important becasuse it shows that Danny really does care and look up to his father even if he may not always agree with him. As Danny and Reveun go on to college do you think their friendhsip will stay the same or will it change?
I think they will try very hard to keep a similar dynamic between themselves, but it will prove impossible to hold onto something in a different environment.
I think that their friendship is a good one, and makes it seem like their friendship will never change. But I have a feeling some parts of it will change, especially throughout the college years.
I agree with Maggie. I believe that Danny and Reuven will remain friends by the end of collage, but not without changes in their relationship. I imagine each boy will find their paths diverging, but in all honesty I struggle to see them completely falling apart.
"He wasn't getting anywhere, he would probably have to drop the whole thing..." (169). I like this quote, because it shows that even someone as smart as Danny can have problems with reading and understanding material at some level. I can relate to this very easily because usually I understand most material being given to me by teachers, but every once in a while there's something I just don't understand, and I have to take the extra few minutes or hours to practice it and read it over and over again."After a while I was singing loudly, swaying back and forth and clapping my hands, and once I saw Reb Saunders looking at me, and his lips curved into a shadow of a smile." (124) I think this quote is important to the story because it shows that Reb Saunders, the leader of his community of Jewis people accepting Reuven, a member of another community of Jewish people who usually hate each other. This represents what I think will be the culmination of the plot, which will be Reuven's dad and Reb Saunders becoming all nice to each other even though they've talked about hating each other's opinions for most of the book. Because of the horrible things Hitler did, like killing 6 million Jews in Europe, they may have to become friends and stick together to protect their communities as some of the last remaining Jewish communities in the world. Does anyone agree with me that Reb Saunders and Reuven's dad (and the communities they represent) will eventually accept and be friendly with one another?
I agree with you--i think that eventually, the two communities will (attempt to, at least) set aside their differences and become friendly. In this section there were lots of little things that happened, like the quote you used about Reb Saunders, that made it seem like the two groups were getting closer and closer to accepting each other. I really want to see this happen.
The quote that I picked that I felt was important to the text is "Reb Saunders is a very complicated, man, abba. I can't make him out. One minute he's hard and angry, the next minute he's soft and gentle. I don't understand him" (p 140). I thought this was important to the text because I felt that it gave the book layers. I also liked it because it gave the book a more real effect and an insight. I choose my second quote because I could feel their connection with each other. "For the first two months of that school year, Danny and I were able to get together regularly only on Shabbat, afternoons" (p 174). My question is why do they have such a strong bond?
A quote I thought was important to the book was: "I asked if I could speak to him [Danny], but she told me he was running a high fever and could not leave his bed to come to the phone...Yes, she would give him my wishes for a speedy recovery" (185). I said in reply to Hannah's post that I think the boys will drift away from each other despite attempting to keep their friendship sound. This seems like a kind of foreshadowing of this event to me, if they are really going to end up no longer friends. Another part of the section this week was not a true quote, nor is it *important* to me. More interesting. When Reb Saunders is giving the gematriya, Reuven narrates the audience as boys. When Reb Saunders turns his attention on Reuven and starts asking him questions, Reuven calls the people around him men (139). I thought it was very interesting, the shift from boys to men as soon as he's nervous or frightened or surprised. Who else thinks that the boys will try to keep their friendship stable, but will ultimately be forced to give it up?
“Somehow everything had changed. I had spent five days in a hospital and the world around me seemed sharpened now pulsing with life.”(96) I think this is important to the book because after just five days Reuven has become a different person. He has seen things that made him think about the world differently. I think Reuven sees how lucky he is to be able to see and to be out of a hospital with a house and a life. Another quote I thought was important was “Reuven, as you grow older you will discover that the most important things that will happen to you will often come as a result of silly things, as you call the-‘ordinary things’ is a better expression. That is the way the world is.”(107) This is an important quote because it is true. The simplest,silliest, or even the most boring things in life sometimes can turn out to be the best things or the most life changing events that happen in your life. This also makes me wonder are there going to be more life changing events beyond chapter twelve?Or has something already begun to change? WIll college be the simple change that will makes things better or worse?
A quote that was importatpnt to me in this section was: "I ate without talking, while Manya hovered over us like a protective bear, and afterwards my father went into his study and I walked slowly through the apartment. I had lived in it all my life, but I never really saw it until I went through it that Friay afternoon." (p. 94) This quote was important to me because it seemed like Reuven was seeing his apartment in a new light, and appreciating it more. It shows how sometimes, when you're away from something or someone for a long time, you look at them in a different way the next time you see them. This happens to me a lot so I can really identify with this. A quote that I thought was important to the book was: " 'I hope you don't mind my saying this, but your father seems like a tyrant.' Danny didn't disagree. 'He's a very strong-willed person. When he makes up his mind about something, that's it, finished.' " (p. 112) I thought this was important to the book because it she'd a little light on the relationship between Danny and his father, which has been pretty shady otherwise. But from this quote I inferred that Danny might be a little afraid of his father. Not because he's a scary man, but because he is so strict and a little bit mysterious (to us readers, at least). I think we will see the relationship between Danny and Reb Saunders develop more through the end of the book. I do have one question, though: Will the war start to become a bigger issue in the book, and will it take an important place in the culmination of the plot?
I had a similar question last week. I am somewhat surprised that they (the characters) don't talk about the war more, especially Reb Saunders and Danny when they have their discussions. Everyone just hears about it on the radio and it must be quite surreal to hear that millions of people are being killed far far away. What I wonder is how do these Americans feel about everything that's going on? For those who have family (most likely fighting in the war) it must be pretty hard. Reuven's father is not in the war: I wonder if Reuven feels really glad about this, or maybe somewhat embarrassed that his dad isn't helping to fight the Nazis.
In my perspective, perhaps one of the most important quotes that I happen to read was on page 192, when the changes that had occurred in Danny were discussed. “Danny hadn’t changed much physically during his last year in high school. The only thing different about him was that he was now wearing glasses.” I believe that in this book, one’s ability to see is a metaphor for their perspective of the world, in other words, getting glasses is a metaphor for a changing perspective. For example, before Reuven was in the hospital, he viewed Danny as a cruel, almost evil individual who couldn’t be trusted by any means. After he is hospitalized and spends some time with Danny, his perspective of him changes, as well as his perspective of the Hasidic community that he is a part of. Throughout the chapters we read, we see how Danny’s perspective of his religion is stressed and tested by what he reads and by what he learns. I believe this quote is saying that his perspective about the world around him has altered from what it was before. On page 134-135, I easily felt Reuven’s frustration. “One of them, an old man with a white beard who was sitting in my row, even nodded at me and smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. I had clearly passed the test. What a ridiculous way to gain admiration and friendship!” At times, when you’re attempting to make a good impression with someone, you go incredible distances to make sure that you have passed some test that seems arbitrary to you, but happens to be important to that person for some reason or another. Do you think that Danny will go his own path in life?
I think grammar is pretty cool. Reuven did a good job using his extensive knowledge Talmudic grammar in the battle with Danny and his father. "I saw allusions in passages that Danny and his father overlooked, and I resolved a contradiction with an appeal to grammar" (164). It's cool that Danny and Reb Saunders get a whole new way of looking at the things they are battling about. They never really talked about grammar until Reuven came along.
"He put down the glass, sighed, and said, 'Reuven, it is a tragedy your mother is not alive to—' He stopped, his voice breaking" (111). This is important to the book because it shows a lot about Reuven's family. We didn't know very much about his family (compared to Danny's!) so this is definitely something that helps getting to know them.
I think a big theme in the book is illness. From the people in the hospital, to Reuven's father and his cough, to Danny's brother—does anyone else think this is a big (although somewhat disguised in everything that's happening) theme?
"They all followed him" I asked. "Just like that?"
ReplyDelete"of course. They would have followed him anywhere."
"I don't understand that. I didn't know that a rabbi had that kind of power"
"He's more than a rabbi" Danny said. "he's a tzaddik." p114
I feel that this quote was important to the story because it showed how the jewish members followed his father and how much power he had over the members.
"my fathers coming", he said.His voice was quiet and, I thought a little strained" p 119
I think this quote shows how Danny's father holds his power over all his members and his family and because of that Danny lives a double life.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteI agree with you on the fact that Reb Saunders seems to remind his people and his son that he has power over everyone and they all need to respect him. Throughout this book I have had mixed feelings about what I think of Reb Saunders and I still don't entirely know if I like him.
DeleteI really like this quote because it is very reviling about their relationship. I also think Danny's father is more powerful than he seems to be and their is something hidden behind him. I would like to know more about Danny and his dads relationship.
DeleteI agree with Sage; I would LOVE to know more about the relationship between Danny and his father. More importantly, I would love to be able to hear from Danny's father as to why he never talks to Danny except for studying the Talmud, because I'm sure he has his reasons even though it's probably hard for Danny to basically not have a relationship with his father at all.
DeleteFYI: Justin had written a question to go with his post, but I deleted it because it was a spoiler of sorts. I've invited him to post his question next weekend.
Delete"I felt I had crossed into another world, that little pieces of my old self had been left behind on the black asphalt floor of the school yard alongside the shattered lens of my glasses." (96) This quote is important to me because I like how the author changes Revuen's view on some things. When someone goes through a rough situation like Revuen, once you recover from it you may see things from a different view and have different opinions on it.
ReplyDelete"I admire him. I don't know what he's trying to do to me with this weird silence that he's established between us, but I admire him." (191) I think this quote is important becasuse it shows that Danny really does care and look up to his father even if he may not always agree with him.
As Danny and Reveun go on to college do you think their friendhsip will stay the same or will it change?
I think they will try very hard to keep a similar dynamic between themselves, but it will prove impossible to hold onto something in a different environment.
DeleteI think that their friendship is a good one, and makes it seem like their friendship will never change. But I have a feeling some parts of it will change, especially throughout the college years.
DeleteI agree with Maggie. I believe that Danny and Reuven will remain friends by the end of collage, but not without changes in their relationship. I imagine each boy will find their paths diverging, but in all honesty I struggle to see them completely falling apart.
Delete"He wasn't getting anywhere, he would probably have to drop the whole thing..." (169). I like this quote, because it shows that even someone as smart as Danny can have problems with reading and understanding material at some level. I can relate to this very easily because usually I understand most material being given to me by teachers, but every once in a while there's something I just don't understand, and I have to take the extra few minutes or hours to practice it and read it over and over again."After a while I was singing loudly, swaying back and forth and clapping my hands, and once I saw Reb Saunders looking at me, and his lips curved into a shadow of a smile." (124) I think this quote is important to the story because it shows that Reb Saunders, the leader of his community of Jewis people accepting Reuven, a member of another community of Jewish people who usually hate each other. This represents what I think will be the culmination of the plot, which will be Reuven's dad and Reb Saunders becoming all nice to each other even though they've talked about hating each other's opinions for most of the book. Because of the horrible things Hitler did, like killing 6 million Jews in Europe, they may have to become friends and stick together to protect their communities as some of the last remaining Jewish communities in the world. Does anyone agree with me that Reb Saunders and Reuven's dad (and the communities they represent) will eventually accept and be friendly with one another?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you--i think that eventually, the two communities will (attempt to, at least) set aside their differences and become friendly. In this section there were lots of little things that happened, like the quote you used about Reb Saunders, that made it seem like the two groups were getting closer and closer to accepting each other. I really want to see this happen.
DeleteThe quote that I picked that I felt was important to the text is "Reb Saunders is a very complicated, man, abba. I can't make him out. One minute he's hard and angry, the next minute he's soft and gentle. I don't understand him" (p 140). I thought this was important to the text because I felt that it gave the book layers. I also liked it because it gave the book a more real effect and an insight. I choose my second quote because I could feel their connection with each other. "For the first two months of that school year, Danny and I were able to get together regularly only on Shabbat, afternoons" (p 174). My question is why do they have such a strong bond?
ReplyDeleteA quote I thought was important to the book was: "I asked if I could speak to him [Danny], but she told me he was running a high fever and could not leave his bed to come to the phone...Yes, she would give him my wishes for a speedy recovery" (185). I said in reply to Hannah's post that I think the boys will drift away from each other despite attempting to keep their friendship sound. This seems like a kind of foreshadowing of this event to me, if they are really going to end up no longer friends.
ReplyDeleteAnother part of the section this week was not a true quote, nor is it *important* to me. More interesting. When Reb Saunders is giving the gematriya, Reuven narrates the audience as boys. When Reb Saunders turns his attention on Reuven and starts asking him questions, Reuven calls the people around him men (139). I thought it was very interesting, the shift from boys to men as soon as he's nervous or frightened or surprised.
Who else thinks that the boys will try to keep their friendship stable, but will ultimately be forced to give it up?
“Somehow everything had changed. I had spent five days in a hospital and the world around me seemed sharpened now pulsing with life.”(96) I think this is important to the book because after just five days Reuven has become a different person. He has seen things that made him think about the world differently. I think Reuven sees how lucky he is to be able to see and to be out of a hospital with a house and a life. Another quote I thought was important was “Reuven, as you grow older you will discover that the most important things that will happen to you will often come as a result of silly things, as you call the-‘ordinary things’ is a better expression. That is the way the world is.”(107) This is an important quote because it is true. The simplest,silliest, or even the most boring things in life sometimes can turn out to be the best things or the most life changing events that happen in your life. This also makes me wonder are there going to be more life changing events beyond chapter twelve?Or has something already begun to change? WIll college be the simple change that will makes things better or worse?
ReplyDeleteA quote that was importatpnt to me in this section was: "I ate without talking, while Manya hovered over us like a protective bear, and afterwards my father went into his study and I walked slowly through the apartment. I had lived in it all my life, but I never really saw it until I went through it that Friay afternoon." (p. 94) This quote was important to me because it seemed like Reuven was seeing his apartment in a new light, and appreciating it more. It shows how sometimes, when you're away from something or someone for a long time, you look at them in a different way the next time you see them. This happens to me a lot so I can really identify with this.
ReplyDeleteA quote that I thought was important to the book was: " 'I hope you don't mind my saying this, but your father seems like a tyrant.' Danny didn't disagree. 'He's a very strong-willed person. When he makes up his mind about something, that's it, finished.' " (p. 112) I thought this was important to the book because it she'd a little light on the relationship between Danny and his father, which has been pretty shady otherwise. But from this quote I inferred that Danny might be a little afraid of his father. Not because he's a scary man, but because he is so strict and a little bit mysterious (to us readers, at least). I think we will see the relationship between Danny and Reb Saunders develop more through the end of the book. I do have one question, though: Will the war start to become a bigger issue in the book, and will it take an important place in the culmination of the plot?
I had a similar question last week. I am somewhat surprised that they (the characters) don't talk about the war more, especially Reb Saunders and Danny when they have their discussions. Everyone just hears about it on the radio and it must be quite surreal to hear that millions of people are being killed far far away. What I wonder is how do these Americans feel about everything that's going on? For those who have family (most likely fighting in the war) it must be pretty hard. Reuven's father is not in the war: I wonder if Reuven feels really glad about this, or maybe somewhat embarrassed that his dad isn't helping to fight the Nazis.
DeleteIn my perspective, perhaps one of the most important quotes that I happen to read was on page 192, when the changes that had occurred in Danny were discussed. “Danny hadn’t changed much physically during his last year in high school. The only thing different about him was that he was now wearing glasses.” I believe that in this book, one’s ability to see is a metaphor for their perspective of the world, in other words, getting glasses is a metaphor for a changing perspective. For example, before Reuven was in the hospital, he viewed Danny as a cruel, almost evil individual who couldn’t be trusted by any means. After he is hospitalized and spends some time with Danny, his perspective of him changes, as well as his perspective of the Hasidic community that he is a part of. Throughout the chapters we read, we see how Danny’s perspective of his religion is stressed and tested by what he reads and by what he learns. I believe this quote is saying that his perspective about the world around him has altered from what it was before.
ReplyDeleteOn page 134-135, I easily felt Reuven’s frustration. “One of them, an old man with a white beard who was sitting in my row, even nodded at me and smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. I had clearly passed the test. What a ridiculous way to gain admiration and friendship!” At times, when you’re attempting to make a good impression with someone, you go incredible distances to make sure that you have passed some test that seems arbitrary to you, but happens to be important to that person for some reason or another. Do you think that Danny will go his own path in life?
I think grammar is pretty cool. Reuven did a good job using his extensive knowledge Talmudic grammar in the battle with Danny and his father. "I saw allusions in passages that Danny and his father overlooked, and I resolved a contradiction with an appeal to grammar" (164). It's cool that Danny and Reb Saunders get a whole new way of looking at the things they are battling about. They never really talked about grammar until Reuven came along.
ReplyDelete"He put down the glass, sighed, and said, 'Reuven, it is a tragedy your mother is not alive to—' He stopped, his voice breaking" (111). This is important to the book because it shows a lot about Reuven's family. We didn't know very much about his family (compared to Danny's!) so this is definitely something that helps getting to know them.
I think a big theme in the book is illness. From the people in the hospital, to Reuven's father and his cough, to Danny's brother—does anyone else think this is a big (although somewhat disguised in everything that's happening) theme?