Study Questions for The Chosen
Name: ________________________
Chapter 7
1. How have the following characters learned through suffering: Reuven, Danny, and Reb?
2. What epiphany does Reuven have?
3. What can you infer about the way Reb Saunders shakes Reuven’s hand? How do you know?
4. What is the purpose of Reb’s lecture? How does Reuven impress Reb? Be specific about what
Reuven does.
5. How is Reb’s second handshake with Reuven different? What does this indicate?
6. How does Dave Malter feel about knowledge?
Chapter 8
1. What does Reuven see for the first time? How does this relate to events from the beginning of
the novel?
2. What does Danny discover about the beginnings of the tzaddik? How does he feel about this?
3. What irony does Danny discover in a psychology book? What type of irony is this? Use the
definition in your answer.
4. How does Reuven surprise Reb Saunders? How does Reuven say he differs from Danny, and
how are they alike?
5. A buffer separates two things usually as a shield or cushion. What people in this novel act as
buffers?
Chapters 9-12
1. What lesson does Reuven learn in the paragraph beginning with “I hung up the phone…”?
2. How does Danny use his religious study methods to better understand Freud?
3. How does Danny use the Malters’ study methods to better understand Freud?
4. What kind of silent communication occurs in the library?
5. Why does Potok juxtapose the boys’ time at school with battle descriptions?
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Study Questions for The Chosen
6. David Malter says, “It will have meaning only if we give it meaning” (277). What is the “it”
he mentions? What does he mean by this statement?
7. Why do Freud’s writings bother Danny? Do you have an optimistic or pessimistic view of
humanity? Why?
8. Explain the difference between how David Malter and Reb Saunders feel about Palestine.
9. Near the end of chapter 12, Danny admits selfishness. About what does he admit selfishness?
10. Near the end of chapter 12, Danny says he feels pity. For whom does he feel pity? Why?
Chapters 13-14
1. Why does Danny have trouble with Professor Appleman?
2. What lesson does David Malter teach Reuven? How do you feel about this lesson?
3. Who is Jack Rose? Why is he important?
4. What is the point of the quotation (“Magic depends…”) from a book Reuven reads? How do
you feel about this quotation?
5. Why does a member of the Hasidim say that one Revisionist member is worse than Hitler?
6. At the end of chapter 13, how is the theme of blindness present?
7. At the end of chapter 13, how is the theme of silence present?
8. When does Reuven’s anger abate (go away)?
9. In the paragraph beginning with “I began especially to study Talmud…” what is Reuven able
to do for himself? Is this the goal of education? Why or why not?
10. Rav Gershenson says a “teacher can” sometimes not do something. What is it? Why is this
such a shock to Reuven? How do you react to this?
11. Reuven advances his learning the most during the solitude and silence of his father’s absence.
He has also used his father’s research methods and Reb’s speech methods. What lessons
are being taught here (by the author)?
12. Why does Reuven not find Rav’s name in the library? Why does Reuven’s father not teach at
the college?
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Study Questions for The Chosen
Chapters 15-18
1. What irony does Reuven recognize about his father’s work near the beginning of chapter 15?
What type of irony is this? Use the definition in your answer.
2. What is the significance of Danny asking Reuven for help in his psychology class?
3. What is the irony regarding Reuven’s and Danny’s future occupations? What type of irony is
this? Use the definition in your answer.
4. How has Levi’s suffering affected him? How does Reuven describe this?
5. At the end of chapter 17, David becomes angry with Reuven. Why? Is David’s anger justified?
Why or why not?
6. Reb lists the qualities he wanted from God in a son. What are they? How do you feel about his
list?
7. Reb Saunders provides three reasons for raising Danny in silence.
a) One reason centers on what Reb’s brother was not. What is it that he wants Danny to
be?
b) The second reason centers on finding one’s strength. What does he want Danny to do?
c) The third reason is about suffering. What must a tzaddik know and do?
8. Reb says Danny heard something in the silence between them. What is it? How do you feel
about this?
9. How does the meaning of Passover (in the paragraph beginning “The day before the start…”)
match Danny’s situation (in the paragraph beginning “He rose slowly, painfully…”)?
10. How is the final paragraph of the novel a reminder of two major themes?
11. Why does Potok wait until the last chapter to reveal Reb’s motives for raising Danny in
silence? (Think about silence and how people learn lessons.)
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