My name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
My name is Asher Lev by Chaim PotokThe title of the book is called ‘My name is Asher Lev’ by Chaim Potok. The topic that will be being discussed is ‘Discuss the effects that a number of characters have on Asher’s personal and artistic development. Asher Lev is an Orthodox Hasdic Jew who is bought into the world with a special talent, which he continues to develop, as he grows older. At the early stages of his artistic development, he finds himself in a position where his father dislikes the idea of his son developing his artistic skills while his mother encourages Asher to further develop his skills.
Rivkeh Lev plays a significant role on Asher Lev’s personal and artistic development. Rivkeh’s plays the mother of Asher Lev. Her relationship with Asher is a special because she helps him develop his artistic skills. At the start of the novel Asher stops drawing. His mother questions his actions and he replies with ’sitra achra’ which means that he it’s from the other side meaning that it is something a Jewish person doesn’t do. In book two, his mother starts become more involved in his work. She starts to become his companion. Her being more involved with his work helps him develop his skills further. She buys him oil paints and they both go on to the museum for Asher to study other paintings by other artists. Rivkeh is very supportive of Ashers special talent. When Ashers exhibition comes to show, Rivkeh feels naked and betrayed. She feels naked because the Brooklyn Crucifixion is about her and it shows how her she feels and now everyone has seen the painting and knows what her life is like.
Aryeh Lev, Asher Lev’s father also plays a significant role in his artistic and personal development. Aryeh Lev is a very well recognized person in the Jewish community. He travels a lot to Europe because he helps the Jewish people move on after the World War 2. His role in Asher Lev’s life is to play his father who is on the negative side of Asher developing his art skills. He totally disagrees on his son being an artist because it is not common for Jewish people to become artist especially if you are the son of a man who has so much recognition in the Jewish community. Aryeh Lev is not impressed when he finds out that his son Asher, draws an evil looking Rebbe in his Chumash. From Asher’s perspective, he doesn’t like his father travelling a lot. He also didn’t like when he found out that his son was drawing paintings of nude people. When Aryeh returns from an overseas trip he always seems to be disappointed or angry with Asher. After Aryeh has had a lecture with Asher he quickly tries to change the subject by telling him to drink his orange juice because it will be good for him. Later on in the novel just before Asher has his exhibition, Aryeh starts to get on the positive side of Asher Lev’s work when he is recognized as ‘Aryeh Lev father of Asher Lev the great painter’. Just when Aryeh and Asher’s relationship started to blossom, it is quickly broken down to pieces when Aryeh sees the Brooklyn Crucifixion.
In conclusion, both characters Rivkeh and Aryeh both effected Asher’s personal and artistic talent. Personality wise, Aryeh showed Asher that being an artist wasn’t a Jewish thing and it showed when Asher stopped painting early in the book and he also taught Asher about the Jewish ways and traditions. Rivkeh supported Asher and it helped him develop skills further. Rivkeh’s emotional side also helped Asher because it helped him draw paintings like his first major piece of work, the painting of Stalin.