The major theme of this moving story by Isaac Singer is contentment. Set in a Polish farming village during the late 19th century, an old couple eke out a meager existence following their traditional way of life. Hidden away in their hut is a small fortune, saved from money sent over the years by their son in America. When the son visits with plans to provide further help and improve the amenities of the village, his offers are rejected. Additional themes: family, money vs. happiness, religious faith, community spirit, change (urbanization, invention), pace of life (city vs. country). More…
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Gimpel the Fool
If you take the story at face value (which is often dangerous with a first person narration), Isaac Singer’s Gimpel is no fool. He understands and rationalizes all that has happened in his life, claiming to have been misjudged due to being too trusting and accommodating towards others. Sadly, although not considering himself a fool, he feels compelled to accept the title. The real fools are shown to be those who took advantage of Gimpel, especially his debauched wife who suffers the consequences. Themes: faith, kindness and integrity, forgiveness, strength and wisdom, acceptance. More…
The Spinoza of Market Street
Isaac Singer’s protagonist is an aging philosopher who has struggled for thirty years to write a commentary on the 17th century philosophical treatise, Spinoza’s Ethics. Frustrated, sickly and too weak from hunger to get out of bed, a reclusive spinster nurses him back to health. Her kindness leads to marriage and a wedding night in which he miraculously regains his youthful virility and passion for life. The story’s denouement: Spinoza, forgive me. I have become a fool. could thus be taken several ways. Themes: obsession, isolation and loneliness, renewal through passion, the difficulty in reconciling Spinoza’s views with traditional religion. More…
Zlateh the Goat
It is easy to see why this story from Isaac Singer is said to be derived from Jewish folklore. Zlateh, an anthropomorphic goat, is about to meet the fate of many farm animals. No longer producing enough milk to justify her keep, she faces a final trip to the town butcher. Fortunately, a freak snowstorm interrupts the journey and gives her a chance to redeem herself. Themes: (general) obedience, trust, resourcefulness, inter-dependence, survival and love; (religious) sacrifice, acceptance and faith: We must accept all that God gives us—heat, cold, hunger, satisfaction, light, and darkness. More…
Henne Fire
Set in pre-World War 1 Poland, this story by Isaac Bashevis Singer explores how a small Jewish community interacts with a seemingly deranged woman who the narrator describes as not a human being but a fire from Gehenna [hell]. Her abusive behaviour forces her family to flee their home and, in keeping with the biblical analogy, small fires tend to pop up around her wherever she lives. A major theme of the story is community, reflected in the support she receives despite her offensive behaviour and the fire risk to neighbors. Other themes include madness, fear, alcohol abuse, the supernatural. More…