The Chosen

Why do you think the author settled on the title The Chosen for this novel? To what does the term refer? Also, where do readers encounter the theme of being chosen or else actively choosing in the story? According to the novel, what, if anything, are we able to choose for ourselves, and what is chosen for us?

How are the schools that Reuven and Danny attend different? Why do the boys from each school exhibit such animosity toward one another in the play yard? Alternatively, what do all the boys have in common? Within the boys' schools, how does Reuven say that brilliance is defined? How does this definition of intelligence compare to its definition in the outside world? Which kind of intelligence do Danny and Reuven seem to be most interested in? Explain.

Reuven says that he met Danny because of World War II. What does he mean by this? How does the war bring the two boys together? What does baseball represent according to Reuven?

What is an apikoros? Why does Danny refer to Reuven in this way? Why is Danny's use of this term ironic? What does Reuven think the yeshiva team believes about the game and what it represents to them? Does he agree with their view of the competition?

What does Danny say to Reuven when he visits him in the hospital? How does Reuven respond to this? What advice does Reuven's father give his son when Reuven mentions Danny's initial visit? Why do you think he gives him this advice? Does Reuven take his father's advice?

How is Reuven changed by the experience of his injury and recovery? Consider how sight and ways of seeing function as symbols and motifs thereafter in the book. What other examples are there in the novel of a character's sight changing either literally or metaphorically, and what causes these changes?

What does Reuven's father say is "the purpose of man" (page 98) and with what does he believe a man must fill his life? In what does Reuven's father find purpose? What does Danny's father believe his purpose is? Do either Reuven or Danny find their purpose by the conclusion of the story? If so, how do they accomplish this and what must they sacrifice in order to do so?

Although Reuven narrates the story, Danny also functions as a main character. Consider how we come to know the two characters by way of their relationship. What unites the two characters and how are they different? What common struggles do they face and how does each surmount them? What do we learn about each character through their relationship that we might not otherwise be privy to?

Explore the motif of silence. Why does Reb Saunders refuse to talk to his son except in association with his studies? How does Danny react to this? What do Reuven and his father think of the way Reb Saunders raises Danny? What other examples of silence are found throughout the novel? At its conclusion, does the book answer the question of whether silence is ultimately positive or negative, necessary or destructive? Explain.

Compare and contrast the father-son relationships in the book. What do the two fathers have in common and what divides them? How do the boys perceive their fathers? Describe how each man raises his son. What does each father try to teach his son or instill in him, and why do you think these lessons are important to the boys? Why does Reuven's father say that he respects Danny's father even though he disagrees with his beliefs?

How does each of the main characters react to the news of the Holocaust? Does this revelation unite the characters or set them further apart? Is this surprising? Why, or why not?

Consider the theme of suffering. Why does Reb Saunders believe that suffering is necessary? Does the book ultimately seem to support his view or overturn it? Explain. How do each of the characters suffer and how are they changed as a result of their suffering? Are the changes primarily positive or negative?

Examine how the backdrop of historical events helps to illuminate the major themes of the book. What major historical events are represented in the book? How do the characters respond to these events? What do we learn about the characters from their responses to these events?

Evaluate the theme of tradition versus modernity. Does the novel ultimately suggest that tradition is positive or a hindrance? Why does Danny's father insist on carrying on the traditions he knows? How does Reuven's father feel about tradition? Why is Danny ultimately willing to part with some of the traditions he knows? Do you believe that he made a good decision? Discuss.

Reuven's father tells his son that he doesn't know if it was ethical to give Danny books without Reb Saunders's knowledge. Do you believe that it was ethical for him to do so? Why, or why not?