The Chosen essays

The Chosen essays The Chosen, a fiction novel written in 1967 by Chaim Potok, is about two young Jewish boys and their friendship. It takes us along with them on their journey from adolescence to adulthood. They face many conflicts, and through those trials the author makes his readers think more deeply into lifes true meanings. The novel was set in New York during the Second World War. Since the main characters are Jews, this period of time is very significant. Not only were the Jews persecuted during WWII, but New York was also close to a military base, which made it a prime target for bombing. Even the setting has an underlying sense of tension. One of the protagonists in The Chosen is Reuven Malter. Reuven is an orthodox Jewish boy. He is a very smart and diligent student. His father, David Malter raises Reuven alone in Brooklyn, New York as his mother has already passed away. Reuven has glasses, brown hair and eyes, and dresses in the typical orthodox manner. A plain boy, he has a bright mind and a very caring soul. The other protagonist in the novel is Danny Saunders. Danny is the son of a very devoted Hasidic Jewish tzaddik. However, Danny is not a very enthusiastic Hasid. He has earlocks, grows a beard, and wears the traditional Hasidic outfit, but he doesn't have the reverence for it that he should. Danny is a genius. His religion forbids him to read literature from the outside world, so he struggles with his thirst for knowledge and the restraints that have been put on him by both his father and his religion. He lives with his father, mother, older sister, and younger brother in Brooklyn as well. The first antagonist is Danny. He and Reuven had many difficulties. They resolve their problems in the course of the book, but at the beginning they hate each other. Their religious views are also very opposite. Once they overcome their differences, they become best friends. Reb Saunders is the second antagonist. A Hasidic tzaddik, he led his p...

If with conditional clause

If with conditional clause If with conditional clause If with conditional clause By Guest Author This is a guest post by Yvonne Canchola. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. The tiny word â€Å"if† sets many, many language traps for the hasty. Consider this note: â€Å"If you happen to be in the area, we will be at Meehan’s Ale House. So stop on by.† Nice to be invited and welcome, isn’t it? But wait! I think this must be a magical reunion: telepathically- or by owl post, my friends will know that, by happenstance, I am indeed close by, and instantly they convene in the place we agreed upon. So really I have no need to RSVP, because somehow they will know, and the gathering will already be in place when I find time to make my appearance. Of course, my friends’ trip to the pub is not conditional upon my whereabouts, but that is what the use of if suggests. The intended meaning is that my friends want to let me know that they will be at the pub whether my business takes me their way or not. They will be at the ale house. If I happen to be in the area, I can join them. The problem with this type of sentence is not grammatical; it’s semantic. The part of the thought process that is conditioned by the if-clause is missing. The error, actually an omission, can be fixed quite easily: â€Å"If you happen to be in the area, remember that we will be at Meehan’s Ale House. So stop on by.† Other instances of this kind of error: â€Å"If you are new to my blog, I post a poll every month†¦.† should read, â€Å"If you are new to my blog, I have to catch you up: I post a poll every month.† â€Å"If you have not already seen the new Tim Burton movie, it really is something!† should read, â€Å"If you have not already seen the new Tim Burton movie, let me tell you: it is really something.† However, â€Å"if† does not strike me as the most precise word choice here. I would suggest, â€Å"Assuming that you have not already seen†¦.† â€Å"If you have ever seen xyz movie, that’s what our vacation was like.† should read, â€Å"If you have ever seen xyz movie, you can imagine our vacation† â€Å"If youre interested in xyz product, half of the payment is due by April 30th.† I doubt that the price is conditional on your interest. Despite my personal lack of interest, for the rest of the people who have decided or will decide to purchase it, half of the payment is probably still due by April 30. Thus, it should read, â€Å"If youre interested in xyz product, you need to know that half of the payment is due by April 30th.† Here again I would choose â€Å"in case† or â€Å"assuming/supposing that† instead of â€Å"if.† While the above sentences are perfectly understandable to colloquial speakers of the English language, non-native speakers may stumble. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Handy Expressions About HandsOn Behalf Of vs. In Behalf OfThe Two Sounds of G