Are Asher Lev's Paintings Disrespectful to His Parents?

She then tells him he "should make the world pretty" (Potok 28). Asher responds, "It's not pretty. I won't draw it pretty" (28). Although Rivkeh tries her best to be supportive of her son, sometimes even against her husbands will, she is never able to understand realism in art. Already enduring worry over her husbands frequent absences and stress over the constant battle between father and son, her capacity for suffering must be stretched even further when her husband gets the chance to go to Europe to set up yeshivas (Jewish rabbinic academies of higher learning (Jewish n.p.)) for survivors of the Holocaust. Asher refuses to move to Europe because it would interfere with his art so Rivkeh agrees to remain in America with her son. When Asher is older, her worries are increased when he goes to Europe to further his studies in art. For most of his youth, Asher seems incredibly selfish, seemingly unconcerned with the sacrifices those around him are making for his sake, but his crucifixion painting reveals that he has indeed noticed the great suffering of his mother and is, in his own way, paying her tribute.

This is seen from beginning to end in the novel as Asher’s parents do not approve of his artistic talent. Aryeh Lev dejects Asher’s talent frequently in the novel, “‘You have nothing better to do with your time, Asher? Your grandfather would not have liked you to waste so much time with foolishness’” (12). This shows that Asher’s personal goal comes in conflict with his family values. This then causes Asher to sacrifice his family in order to get closer to his dream of becoming an artist. Furthermore, later in the book when Asher draws the crucifixion, he paints it even though he knows the painting would hurt his mother and family, “I painted swiftly in a strange nerveless frenzy of energy. For all the pain you suffered, my mama. For all the torment of your past and future years, my mama. For all the anguish this picture of pain will cause you...” (329). At this point in the novel, Asher chooses his art over his family because he knows the painting will hurt his family, but Asher paints it anyways to achieve his goal. When Asher chooses art over his family multiple times in this novel, he essentially sacrifices his family for his objective. (AFTER ASHER BREAKS AWAY FROM FAMILY, HE MAKES IT

As an Israeli artist, his work can relate a lot to the experience of Jews and the Holocaust. This was a horrific event. This event showed us how the beauty of the human body can

Instead of compromising with his son, Aryeh Lev becomes very bitter about his son's persistence to prove him wrong. "Every man is responsible for what he does, because he has a will and by that will he directs his life" (169). Aryeh also felt that his son's gift must have come from the Other Side after witnessing his son's paintings that featured nudes and portraits of Jesus. Their struggle became so great as to strain their relationship to a breaking point. "Listen to me, Asher. This will stop. You will fight it. Or I will force you to return to Vienna with me after the summer. Better you should stay in Vienna and be a little crazy than you should stay in New York and become a goy" ( Potok 169). In the end, Aryeh Lev's futile attempt to stop Asher came out sounding like a threat to his only son.

The quote, ”The eyes are window to your soul,” has an important effect about my thinking involving in the story. In not being able to see Mr. Hooper’s eyes Congregation became uncomfortable. The eyes make it possible for others to recognize your feelings, emotions, and moods. By covering them darkness surrounding person himself. One quote that could relate to this story is, “do not judge by appearance.” From the first day of the veil dropping over Mr. Hooper’s face people’s opinions have changed of him. He became a mystery, unreachable, and feared. In reality Mr. Hooper didn’t change at all. He was the same kind and gentle man with the slight smile gracing his face. Only by adding of a simple

At the council, 338 members met to rule on the use of images to depict religious figures and ideas. This assembly, including Emperor Constantine and Leo, rules that “the unlawful art of painting living creatures blasphemed the fundamental doctrine of our salvation—namely, the Incarnation of Christ, and contradicted the six holy synods” (Iconoclastic Council, 1). The Iconoclastic Council bans the use of images and pictures to depict religious ideologies and figures because they feared that worshippers honored the image over the actual person, place, or thing represented. To support their argument, the council recalls the Holy Book in which God states, “Thou shall not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath…They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,…and served the creature more than the Creator” (2). Unlike John, this council uses stronger textual evidence from the Holy Book in order to validate their argument against icons. Furthermore, they argued that “folly” painter constructed the icons to undermine the icons. Council members aimed to demonstrate the icons as evil creations because religious affiliates did not construct them. Nevertheless, the council banned all images, relics, and other representations of

( 185 ) The eyes are only allowed to see certain things and they are portrayed in a careful watchful tone like those of the owl-rimmed glasses. The ever-present theme of seeing and not seeing. The eyes are condemning as they view the futile efforts of Gatsby as he tries to obtain the American dream. Nick becomes the eyes that see the full picture and how other people affect Gatsby through the writing of his book. The eyes see through everything and everyone through actions and words.

And you betrayed me! I saw you every day in her eyes and I heard you in her voice when she laughed, and I felt you inside of me when she called me “daddy” and you betrayed me. You broke my heart.” This rhetorical choice instigates pathos while also showing insight to the main character’s disparity. Also, both pieces use pathos to trigger the viewers emotions. By keeping their audiences in mind and using the effective rhetoric of pathos, the writer and photographer make the viewers much more sympathetic towards the subjects. In the movie, Frankel films excellent actors an effective usage of display, style, and design that help carry out the message in an impressive matter. The pictures design is formatted in a way that leads the eye from left to right- past to present. The past portrays a time of despair and hopelessness not only for Jews but also homosexuals, gypsies, the disabled, and any other lifestyles the Nazis deemed unfit. Now, on the right side of the picture, one can see the current glimpses of hope- the soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces that protect and serve Israel in efforts to make sure that nothing similar to the Holocaust will ever happen

Lev was born with the gift of artistry, his earliest memory at the age of four when he was “holding [his] pencil…and transferring the world around [him]” (Potok 5). This gift was the main catalyst for the turmoil within his youth, as well as his adult life. His gift made him acutely aware of the emotions and feelings of the world in which he lived and is anything but indifferent to the agony as well as joy of earth. He paints the world true to how he sees it, like how he painted Stalin when he was scared of going to Vienna. He is aware of the pain he put his parents through when he refused to go to Vienna, but he puts his gift above all. Lev’s ability to use his gift as a form of expression and escape adds to the world and helps with Lev’s own mental anguish over his trials with his father and religion. Lev pursues a mental peace and balance in his passion for art and love of his religion as an orthodox Jew. The two most important aspects of his life often battle each other, but he searches for harmony between the two. Painting and drawing is Lev’s medium to express him because it is where he can be truest to whom he is. His father, a huge figure in his life, “set himself as an adversary” (Potok 184) because his views Lev’s drawings as foolishness. As such, this past of constant conflict creates a strained relationship with his father. The two were never able to communicate without the help of Lev’s mother.

Asher Lev paints against the values of his family and community. He disregards Jewish traditions and observance by pursuing his passion for art. His individuality has him disobeying the Rebbe, the mashphia, his mythic ancestor as well as his parents. Asher does not intend for his artwork to be harmful, but that they convey truths and feelings. Yet, the Brooklyn Crucifixions cause shame for his observant Jewish parents. In that way, he disrespects their teachings and wishes. He challenges the Jewish belief on modesty in creating nude works and disturbs the Hasidic community in his Christian imagery. Worst of all is the reflection of the life-like representation

Andre Dubus mentions and describes the “eyes” several times throughout his short story, “Killings.” Matt, the main character, notices the emotions that are conveyed through a person’s eyes more than anything else. His entire story is vaguely centered around the hidden feelings that people have, but refuse to show. Dubus uses the repetition of the “eyes” to show how much is really concealed within a person. William Henry, a well-known chemist, once said, “The eyes shout what the lips fear to say.” Henry put into words what Dubus was doing when writing this story. A few sentiments that the author channels to the readers are pain, fear, sorrow, and hope.

(pg. 39, The Perversion of Loss) He feels guilty about having been born after the Holocaust, and that his parents had to live through it, while his life has been easy. This strains Art and pushes him further away from his father, when he asks himself which of his parents he would save from a concentration camp he tends to pick his mother. This guilt is visible when Art is talking to his wife and tells her that he “somehow wishes he could have be in Auschwitz with his parents, so he could really know what they lived through.”

Furthermore, artists were modern day rock stars of their time. One can say how they were so rich, and so famous, but from reading more into the history of art, most artists were famous after death. Griet even says, “They were the kind of voices we heard rarely in our house. I could hear rich carpets in their voices, books and pearls and fur” (Chevalier 3). The ending of the novel with Vermeer’s will, you could tell he will be famous only after death. Many art museums are filled with artists’ holy relics, not just of the Virgin Mary, but of Vermeer’s Griet. Berger says, “Works of art are discussed and presented as though they were holy relics (21). The holy relics living out their lives, behind bullet-resistant glass, never touch by a lay-person’s

To understand how Islamic art reflects the Muslim faith, it is first necessary to understand the five main beliefs of islam, which are the core structures that hold the religion together. The first doctrine is the belief in absolute monotheism, or that Allah is the one true God (Horn). The second doctrine, which aligns with the first, is the belief in angels and the inherent goodness of all except Iblis who is comparable to the Christian Satan (Horn). The third doctrine is the belief in prophets, of which Muhammad is the last. Prophets were separated into two classifications: Rasuls and Nabis. Yet, no matter the classification all prophets were meant to be noble people of good

Sontag says that throughout history, things focused on in art and history tend to be the "product of wrath, divine or human." There is much art showing the