Duddy Kravitz Analysis

"A man without land is nobody", and with these words, Duddy Kravitz embarked on a pursuit for his own piece of land. Born in the ghetto with a rusty spoon in his mouth and the spark of rebellion about him, Duddy pits himself against the arid and vile environment and rebels against all forms of silver-spooned authority. In his unrelenting quest towards entrepreneurial triumph, his conflicting roles as a businessman, relative and friend constantly highlights Duddy 's strengths and weaknesses - important attributes that eventually lead to his victorious acquisition of land, but tragic failure as a man.

A successful businessman is marked by determination, and this respectable quality is prominently displayed in Duddy; his desire to acquire land is the sole driving force behind his every action. Despite various setbacks such as becoming bankrupt, Duddy was always able to re-embark on his quest for land with renewed confidence, taking each experience to be a lesson well learnt. Yet, it is his formidable resolve that leads to his unethical and manipulative methods of conducting
However, looking deeper into this complex character, one realizes that Duddy 's morally repugnant behavior is due to the influence of a corrupt society, the desperation for approval from his family, and a void of a respectable role model when growing up. Contrary to popular belief, Duddy 's notions on friendships are not as dysfunctional as many perceive them to be: "A friend is a friend. You 've got to trust somebody..." (Page 209) in fact, he is more naïve than sly, often not knowing what actions of his were offending. In his relationship with Yvette and Mr. Friar, he cared for them in the best way he knew how to, that is, ensuring that Yvette was properly taken care off when he was away, and providing financial support for Mr.