Potok, Chaim (Vol. 2) - Potok, Chaim 1929–
Potok, Chaim 1929–
Potok, a Conservative rabbi, gained considerable recognition with his first novel, The Chosen. (See also Contemporary Authors, Vols. 19-20.)
On the deepest level, "The Promise" is about Jewish identity. Each character tries to define himself in relation to Jewish tradition. This is never a parochial concern because of Potok's heightened awareness that this is the greatest gamble of all: a people who have wagered their existence throughout history on the promise made by God to Abraham that they will be self-conscious agents of universal redemption. Nor does it make any difference, Potok implies, whether the assumption is true or not. The wager has been made. The Jews have long since embarked.
There is some discrepancy between Potok's intention and the realization of his theme. The fault lies with Potok's craftsmanship, in his frequent reluctance to dramatize. Often the narrator summarizes scenes rather than...
[The entire page is 1150 words long]
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