In my name is asher lev, asher, a young hasidic jew part of the fictionalized ladover sect grows up with a fervent belief in the jewish obligation to bring about holiness in the world. Asher s main struggle much like the struggle of anyone growing up anywhere is how to do his own thing without sacrificing the close relationships hes developed with others in his community. The mythic ancestor is reminding asher he is a jew and needs to balance religion and art. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of my name is asher lev. A jewish student arts space will put on a production of my name is asher lev, an adaptation by aaron posner of the novel by philadelphian chaim potok, at the gershman y starting on feb. My name is asher lev is a novel by chaim potok that was first published in 1972. As he recollects his childhood and teenage years where most of the plot is spent, readers can see the differences between creative young asher and his traditional father, aryeh, quickly form. Nov 17, 2017 my name is asher lev is earnest, dutiful and dull. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of my name is asher lev and what it means.
Join us for postshow discussions and other events featuring special guests close to the story and themes explored in my name is asher lev. Crucifixion symbol in my name is asher lev litcharts. My name is asher lev consortium of christian study centers. Im sorry, this is a shortanswer literature forum designed for text specific questions. Potoks whole inspiration for writing the book my name is asher lev is from his connections to the lubavitcher rebbe, which came about through his connection to the head emissary in philadelphia, rabbi abraham shemtov, who started bringing chaim to the rebbe in brooklyn in the early 70s, grodnitzky explained. My name is asher lev balances art and religion the. While my name is asher lev is an ageappropriate play for high school students of all ages, it contains some serious themes that may feel private or uncomfortable for some students, including issues of identity, family, religion and culture. My name is asher lev takes these themes and makes them into a novel of finely articulated tragic power. The new production of my name is asher lev at the westside theatre is very well acted and directed, and its perfectly conventional approach to the big issues of art and religion should ensure its success here just as it did in long wharf, where the play was produced last year.
Oct 22, 2018 my name is asher lev is a painfully real look at the development of a great artist, one who is also an observant hasidic jew, belonging to a prominent family. This is a list of the jewish terminology in my name is asher lev that was said to be really prevalent on the test. My name is asher lev is a beautifully written, piercing look at the intersection of religion and art. Mythic ancestors appearance interpretation imagery and figurative language everybody needs to keep a balance in what they do. My name is asher lev the gift of the ribbono shel olom. My name is asher lev relates the struggle of the godfearing artist in a stirring way, and even though its slow at first, its very much worth reading until the end. Themes in my name is asher lev include alienation, art, family, ashers gift, hatred, loyalty to the rebbe, persecution, rebellion, religion, travel, and the most important the conflict between.
My name is asher lev at new jewish theatre is poignant. However ashers family are members of a religous jewish sect, the ladover hasids, and. Asher lev first shows artistic genius as a young child. Central to our understanding of my name is asher lev by chaim potok, is the dynamics of ashers relationship with different minor characters involved. In my name is asher lev he brings the outside world into awful col lision with the insular purity and integrity of orthodoxy. My name is asher lev is the story of cultural conflict as well as a story of the forces that threaten to tear a family apart. Although one may seem to think that ashers gift comes from the sitra achra, the themes of irony and blindness reveal deeper concepts which confirm the fact that ashers gift comes from the ribbono shel olom. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Asher lev is a child with an extraordinary gift for painting. May 14, 2018 a comedic plot summary of the book my name is asher lev by chaim potok. His art, however, causes conflicts with his family and other members of his community.
Made for a postervideo project in english 10 at mountainview christian school. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of my name is asher lev and. The discrimination that ashers father has against ashers artistic tendencies can be related to the suffering of the many jews in russia and germany that were oppressed by the government. There are no huge events here, no tragedies or shocking revelations. A short summary of chaim potoks my name is asher lev. Potoks my name is asher lev focuses on a man who treads the nebulous boundary between the secular and the spiritual. Learn quiz my name asher lev with free interactive flashcards.
This book is a masterpiece and has been said to be the best work of the author ever. My name is asher lev is a provocative theater experience for everyone, whatever your religion or ethnicity. That intersection is littered with the shattered values that collided there. The levs are hasidic jews who observe the torah as the word of god, also referred to in the book as the. Asher lev alex weisman struggles against the will of his parents danica monroe and lawrence grimm in his quest to become an artist in timeline theatre companys chicago premiere of my name is asher lev by aaron posner, adapted from the novel by chaim potok, directed by kimberly senior. The question and answer section for my name is asher lev is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Everything about my name is asher lev is brilliant. Not surprisingly, his novels deal primarily with the theme of religion, especially with being religious in the modern age. When asher is younger, this conflict is more external. My name is asher lev by aaron posner from the novel by chaim potok harold green jewish theatrestudio 180. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is.
In chapter 10 of chaim potoks my name is asher lev, asher spends time on the seashore with his friend jacob kahn. A comedic plot summary of the book my name is asher lev by chaim potok. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The book follows asher s maturity as both an artist and a jew. My name is asher lev at new jewish theatre is poignant tale. Choose from 103 different sets of quiz my name asher lev flashcards on quizlet. This study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of my name is asher lev. A summary of themes in chaim potoks my name is asher lev. My name is asher lev is about ashers development as an artist with a focus on the conflicts this raises for him with the religion with which he has been raised. Collision with the outside world the new york times.
The novelist is always the conscience and chronicler of his race, and mr. And other thoughts on being a woman by nora ephron. Knopf, 1972 summary asher lev is a redheaded hasidic jew born in 1943 in brooklyn. I think that one of the most powerful messages that potok is truing to convey in my name is asher lev is that conflict within ones place in the world is inevitable. Jan 28, 2020 and sparks approaches the material with an appreciation for the timelessness of its themes. The books protagonist is asher lev, a hasidic jewish boy in new york city. Kafka who liked to draw once remarked that the jew prefers writ ing to drawing as he prefers mo tion to stillness. Ashers main struggle much like the struggle of anyone growing up anywhere is how to do his own thing without sacrificing the close relationships hes developed with others in his community. My name is asher lev is at once poignant and uplifting. Ashers main struggle much like the struggle of anyone growing up anywhere is. Asher keeps kosher, attends yeshiva and believes in the.
My name is asher lev is about ashers development as an artist with a focus on the conflicts this raises for. My name is asher lev adaptation explores connections. My name is asher lev by chaim potok a wandering reader. Analyse their significance in my name is asher lev. The my name is asher lev quotes below all refer to the symbol of crucifixion. Chabad jewish center for students in philadelphia and the kugel collaborative. This allusion is very important to the ultimate problem and eventual solution because the bible is looked down upon in jewish communities metaphor he lived now upon a mountain of achievement. The my name is asher lev community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. Many themes have been included in the book, such as the themes of suffering and selfidentity. His artistic impulse drives him to do certain things of which others in his community disapprove.
The my name is asher lev community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context. In chaim potoks novel my name is asher lev, asher struggles with selfidentity and going against tradition, which ultimately leads him to question whether his gift of art comes from the ribbono shel olom or the sitra achra. My name is asher lev is earnest, dutiful and dull now. His father, aryeh, is an emissary for the rebbe, the leader of the ladover hasidic community. He has an almost supernatural ability to draw, yet his faith tradition tries to suppress this. My name is asher lev themes from litcharts the creators. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. As he recollects his childhood and teenage years where most of the plot is spent, readers can see the differences between creative. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of my name is asher lev by chaim potok. Minor characters are central to our understanding of any text. The miners alley playhouse production set out to get it right. His protagonist, asher lev, is a ladover hasid from brooklyn who is raised in a world saturated with ritual and led by a charismatic rebbe. Although its themes about art, religion and family are timeless, this adaptation of chaim potoks classic novel lacks momentum and urgency.
My name is asher lev, the asher lev, about whom you have read in newspapers and magazines, about whom you talk so much at your dinner affairs and cocktail parties, the notorious and legendary lev of the brooklyn crucifixion. What message or messages is the book my name is asher lev. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in my name is asher lev, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. My name is asher lev is earnest, dutiful and dull now magazine. In fact, he and his community believe that there are two sides in the worldthose holy things pertaining to religious, torahobservant jews, and those things that belong to the other, hence. Let me assure you that while jewish audiences will find much to like here, the story is as human and the themes as universal as any you will ever encounter. Apr 16, 1972 my name is asher lev takes these themes and makes them into a novel of finely articulated tragic power. In this video, i discuss the things i love about this book and what it has taught me so far. My name is asher lev explores the nature of suffering. In many families his gift would be looked upon as just that, a great gift.
My name is asher lev is a novel by the late chaim potok, author of the promise and the chosen, and traces the life of asher lev, the notorious and legendary lev of the brooklyn. My name is asher lev is another powerful potok novel about core conflict between the artistic spiritual voice inside a mans soul, and the hasidic culture in which he grows up and in which he is so tutored by the memory of his legendary ancestor, as well as by the lives led by his grandfather and father. And sparks approaches the material with an appreciation for the timelessness of its themes. Themes in my name is asher lev include alienation, art, family, ashers gift, hatred, loyalty to the rebbe, persecution, rebellion, religion, travel, and the most important the conflict between religion and art. My name is asher lev themes from litcharts the creators of. My name is asher lev is a novel by chaim potok, an american author and rabbi. If you havent read it yet, i highly suggest you pick it up. In my name is asher lev, the theme of individuality is explored in great depth. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion on my name is asher lev by chaim potok. She also is one of the first people to understand ashers artistic gift. See a complete list of the characters in my name is asher lev and indepth analyses of asher lev, jacob kahn, and rivkeh lev. My name is asher lev is a novel by american author and rabbi.
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