Gimpel the Fool Essay Example
GIMPEL THE FOOL
With magnificent characterization and an outstanding point of view, the story "Gimpel the Fool", written by Isaac Bashevis Singer, clearly strengthens the age-old thought that repentance and good deeds will be rewarded with time. Gimpel's passionate yet innocent characterization play an important part in the story's meaning. The use of religious association and the use of forceful symbols aid the reader to choose the lesson learned in the work. Written in first person, we can easily understand the main character’s point of view. Helping the reader understand better the story using the three fictional elements: Plotting, Character, and Place or Setting.
Singer utilizes various ways to describe the character “Gimpel”. Although Gimpel appears to be a fool, he is actually a wise man and can even be referred to as a “Saint”. He is considered wise because the loves the children that are not his, he strongly believes in his religion, and is not swayed by other temptations. First of all, he does not listen to what people say about him and do to him. Most of them say he is a fool, and joke about him for their own entertainment. He is made into a victim rather a foolish character. When he introduces himself at the beginning we can feel his personality being honest. When he describes how people fooled him we perceive that it was not hard to do so. He describes how everyone would tell him a lie and he did not question it, he just believed them. "In the first place, everything is possible, as it is written in the Wisdom of the Fathers" (Singer, 2004, p. 278). Gimpel sounds very honest and straightforward, he does not intend to make a lie sound believable. He allows you to know about what he is thinking. After another example of "foolishness" Gimpel states, "I was no weakling. If I slapped someone he'd see all the way to Cracow. But I'm really not a slugger by nature. I think to myself, 'Let it pass.' So they take advantage of me" (Singer, 2004, p. 278).
With magnificent characterization and an outstanding point of view, the story "Gimpel the Fool", written by Isaac Bashevis Singer, clearly strengthens the age-old thought that repentance and good deeds will be rewarded with time. Gimpel's passionate yet innocent characterization play an important part in the story's meaning. The use of religious association and the use of forceful symbols aid the reader to choose the lesson learned in the work. Written in first person, we can easily understand the main character’s point of view. Helping the reader understand better the story using the three fictional elements: Plotting, Character, and Place or Setting.
Singer utilizes various ways to describe the character “Gimpel”. Although Gimpel appears to be a fool, he is actually a wise man and can even be referred to as a “Saint”. He is considered wise because the loves the children that are not his, he strongly believes in his religion, and is not swayed by other temptations. First of all, he does not listen to what people say about him and do to him. Most of them say he is a fool, and joke about him for their own entertainment. He is made into a victim rather a foolish character. When he introduces himself at the beginning we can feel his personality being honest. When he describes how people fooled him we perceive that it was not hard to do so. He describes how everyone would tell him a lie and he did not question it, he just believed them. "In the first place, everything is possible, as it is written in the Wisdom of the Fathers" (Singer, 2004, p. 278). Gimpel sounds very honest and straightforward, he does not intend to make a lie sound believable. He allows you to know about what he is thinking. After another example of "foolishness" Gimpel states, "I was no weakling. If I slapped someone he'd see all the way to Cracow. But I'm really not a slugger by nature. I think to myself, 'Let it pass.' So they take advantage of me" (Singer, 2004, p. 278).