Abstract Endurance and suffering are main themes as projected through the two lead characters in Bernard Malamud's "The Assistant," a heartwarming mentor-student story set in early 20th century Brooklyn. The writer shows how Malamud threads a theme of suffering in order to attain a higher moral stature throughout the novel. It is set against the backdrop of the Depression era and it tells of a Jewish grocery-store owner and his Italian assistant. The relationship between these two characters is the focus of the paper.
From the Paper "As is the case with many of his stories, "The Assistant," By Bernard Malamud, tells the story of a simple man trying to make his life better through a struggle against bad luck. Through his characterizations in The Assistant, Malamud makes his themes of endurance and suffering.
Malamud, perhaps best known for "The Natural," which turned into a 1980s film starring Robert Redford, takes a turn at writing about those not in the limelight this time."
Tags: struggle, moral, suffering, character, jewish, Alpino, Bober, relationship, italian
