Daniel and Joel are both committed young zealots, determined to drive the hated Roman occupier out of Israel. They both display considerable courage throughout the story, showing a willingness to risk their lives for others and for the Jewish people as a whole.
Their main difference lies in their respective backgrounds: Joel comes from a wealthy family, whereas Daniel grew up dirt-poor. Also, Joel's more cerebral than Daniel, a thinker more than a doer. Nevertheless, that doesn't prevent him from actively getting involved in the armed struggle against the Romans. But his forte is intelligence-gathering rather than hand-to-hand combat. We see this when Joel dresses up as a servant and sells fish in the market place to get as much information as he can about what the Romans are up to.
Ultimately, the two young men are united by bonds of mutual loyalty, love, and respect. And they both make the life-changing decision to follow in the footsteps of Christ.
Daniel and Joel both come from Jewish families, were raised in Galilee, and have one female sibling. They are both loyal, courageous young men who feel strongly about the Roman occupation. They both take a vow to fight for Israel and "For God's Victory" (Speare 85). Daniel and Joel both recruit individuals to join Rosh's band and participate in raids and various plans to undermine Rome and its sympathizers. As the novel progresses, both boys travel to listen to Jesus speak. At the end of the novel, they both abandon Rosh's band and chose to leave Israel's future in God's hands.
Although Daniel and Joel share many similarities, they both come from drastically different backgrounds. Daniel comes from a poor family, has experienced the loss of both parents, and chose to live in the mountains with Rosh. Joel, on the other hand, has been raised in a wealthy family, has been given an opportunity to become a rabbi, and lives in the city. Throughout the majority of the novel, Daniel is an angry individual who seeks vengeance, while Joel is an understanding individual who spends the majority of his time studying. Daniel is also known for his physical prowess while Joel is known for intelligence. Despite their differences, both boys feel strongly about Israel's independence and choose help Rosh's cause.
How are Daniel and Leah similar in The Bronze Bow?
Daniel and Leah, brother and sister, are both deeply traumatized, as one might expect, by seeing the Romans crucify their father as a rebel, as well by the execution of their uncle and the subsequent death of their mother. Both siblings deal with their trauma in unhealthy ways.
Daniel's unhealthy response to trauma is to become obsessively filled with hatred of the Romans and to devote his life to revenge on them. This causes him to turn inward and leads him to have a difficult time dealing with other people. Leah responds by developing agoraphobia, a fear of open spaces, and by screaming in the night, leading people to believe she has been possessed by demons. Leah's trauma is more overt...
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than Daniel's, but she can be understood, especially in her screaming, as expressing the pain Daniel has stuffed down inside.
The two are alike, too, in ultimately finding healing not in hate or withdrawal but through their encounters with Jesus. Jesus, through his love and compassion, as well as his ability to really perceive Leah and Daniel as fully human, is able to heal both of them. Leah is relieved of her traumatic, screaming "demons," while Daniel's hate, which has warped him, is healed by Jesus's words and acts of love.
In the novel The Bronze Bow, what are some similarities between Hezron and Daniel?
Despite their many differences, Hezron and Daniel are surprisingly similar throughout the novel The Bronze Bow. Daniel and Hezron are both passionate about the Roman occupation of Galilee. In Chapter 5, Daniel asks Hezron if he has forgotten the plight of the Jewish people, and Hezron replies by saying, "we have not forgotten. We feel as you do. In his heart every Jew grieves at our captivity" (Speare 67). Daniel and Hezron both are dismayed that they are subjects of Rome, and they both are waiting for the day God will judge their captors. Both Hezron and Daniel share an affinity for their traditional Jewish roots, but choose to defend their culture differently. When Joel jokingly comments that Daniel would be a sensation in the gymnasium, Daniel says that he would never set foot in it. Hezron shares the same feelings about the Roman gymnasium as Daniel does and comments that it is a shame that some Jewish youths take part in the games. Hezron and Daniel both believe that the Jews should remain separate from Romans and not be influenced by Roman culture. They are also both fiercely loyal individuals. Daniel is loyal to Rosh's clan on the mountain and his vow, while Hezron is loyal to the Law.
What are the differences between Hezron and Daniel in The Bronze Bow?
Hezron is different to Daniel in that he is scathing of the zealots and their determination to rid Israel of the Romans by force. As far as he's concerned the zealots, though claiming to be proud Jews, are really no different from the Romans. This is because they believe, like their oppressors, that what really matters in life is earthly power.
But Hezron thinks this attitude is wholly mistaken. He argues that the Law of Moses is so much more powerful than the might of the Roman Empire. The Romans' power is transient; one day, it will end. But the Law of Moses is eternal; it will always rule the hearts of every devout Jew. It is futile, then, for Daniel and the other zealots to replace one form of earthly power with another.
We can see, then, that Hezron has a completely different attitude toward life than the much more worldly Daniel. Initially, at any rate. Because, in due course, Daniel will come to be disillusioned with the violent criminal activities of Rosh and his gang of desperadoes, and will eventually follow Jesus along the path of peace. In that sense, Daniel will come to realize, like Hezron, that a higher law, however so defined, is so much more important than the temporal laws instituted by man.