How Does David Malter Influence Reuven

Truly great leaders differ widely through cultures and generations, however certain traits remain consistent throughout. These traits follow the template of empathy, passion and a strong sense intuition; Chaim Potok illustrates a character that embodies this to a tee. In his acclaimed work The Chosen, themes such as family and religion are explored; David Malter, the protagonist’s father, plays an integral role in helping Reuven navigate the world. David also guides Danny Saunders, a boy roughly the same age as Reuven, however their struggles are vastly different. He helps Danny by showing him the joys of learning things outside the safety net of his father’s religion as well as fosters a friendship between the two. David Malter positively effects his son through wisdom, encouragement
Time and time again we see him keep a calm and supportive demeanor in the face of adversity and inflammatory topics such as the war and the role Judaism plays in the world. After Reuven ’s first encounter with the impassioned Mr. Saunders, he was left confused and a little jarred, the young man did not know how to react or handle such an intense whirlwind of emotions. Mr. Malter does not simply rush to defend wither party, instead he opts for the neutral position and quietly listens to his son’s recollection. Reuven recalls his father’s reaction as so, “Then I told him what Reb Saunders had said… and what Danny and I had talked about… he smiled proudly and nodded to indicate his happiness” (146). He provides an outlet for Reuven to sort through the myriad of emotions; supplementing the dialog with helpful and uplifting commentary that opens Reuven ’s mind to a whole new view of the situation. His father also gives biblical backing for such opinions, showing Reuven how God views our lives and encourages him to explore his faith and find more