Satires are used by the author to call into doubt the validity of Jewish religion. As the text makes clear, Bucky questions Marcia about the reason for Jewish polio victims' deaths. (Roth 63). He also demands to know whether God hears a believer's pleas, and if so, why do they result in increased suffering if He does. In light of this, the comparison of Jews to religious zealots and Americans to pragmatic society illustrates the relationship between Jewishness and humanity. Because of this, Jews constantly struggle with the decision of whether to adopt American society or stick with their own. In due course, they forced to assimilate the beliefs and practices of their new realm as they fight to uphold those of their ancestors.
Bernard Malamud, Angel Levine
The author uses a story of a disillusioned man to create an unsettling moment in religious faith. An establishment owned by a visionary Jew businessman catches fire, and everything reduces to ashes (Werlock 29). After the loss, he meets a man facing psychic estrangement, who he identifies himself as Levine and at one point claims to be an angel. The idea of the tailor getting concerned about Levine shows his huge expectations on spiritual comfort. The connection between Jewishness and humanness appears through self-irony—a condition that an individual admits his/her limits, abandons preliminary knowledge and opens up for solutions. For instance, the tailor—who was once a decent man—ends up seeking help through pitiful methods.
Diner, Jews and Blacks in American Society
The novelist uses the American context to analyze problems faced by Jewish incomers. At the dawn of the twentieth century, approximately three states hosted the settlers (Diner 5). Constant immigrations characterized this period with most immigrants trying to adapt to the new environment. The writer appears to navigate the themes according to personal encounters. He locates characters from the low class, and consequently illustrate the challenges encountered in fleeing poverty. The link between Jewishness and humanness reveals through the Jews abandoning their beliefs for survival. Without a doubt, the text is used as a tool of enhancing remembrance to the upcoming generations.
Works Cited
Diner, Hasia R. In the Almost Promised Land: American Jews and Blacks, 1915-1935. JHU Press, 1995.
Roth, Philip. Nemesis. New York, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.
Werlock, Abby HP, ed. Companion to Literature: Facts on File Companion to the American Short Story. Infobase Publishing, 2009.
