In 1958 Bernard Malamud published his first short story collection
The Magic Barrel. Whereas stories like e.g. “The Magic Barrel” or “The
Lady of the Lake” were frequently discussed, “Take Pity” got only little
attention from the critics, although the story offers a wide spectrum of
possible interpretations and contains several stylistic devices. The main
focus of this term paper is the discussion of the realistic and fantastic
elements in chapter III.4 and the different dimensions of compassion
throughout the story in chapter III.5. The esteemed novelist and short story writer Bernard Malamud was
born on April 28, 1914, in Brooklyn, NY and grew up on New York's East
Side where his Russian-Jewish immigrant parents worked in their grocery
store sixteen hours a day. He attended high school and college during the
height of the depression. His family's experience was clearly echoed in his
fiction. Whereas the setting varies in his novels, in his short fiction it is most
often the East Side of New York. Malamud was also strongly influenced by
classic nineteenth-century American writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne,
Henry David Thoreau, Herman Melville, and Henry James. Moreover,
Malamud's works reflected a post-Holocaust consciousness in addressing
Jewish concerns and employing literary conventions drawn from earlier
Jewish literature. He began his career in the early 1940s by publishing
stories in non-commercial magazines. His first major period of work
extended from 1949 to 1961 when he was teaching at Oregon State College.
During this period he produced three novels and a collection of short stories.
Malamud won several fiction prizes, including the National Book Award in
fiction for The Magic Barrel in 1959. After Malamud had moved back to
Bennington College, his second working period (1961-1970) began, and
both his stories and his next two novels took a more cosmopolitan and
international direction. [...]
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Bernard Malamud
III. Bernard Malamud’s “Take Pity”
III.1 “Take Pity”
III.2 Major Characters
III.3 The Realistic and Fantastic Elements in “Take Pity”
III.4 The Compassion in “Take Pity”
IV. Conclusion
V. Bibliography
V.1 Primary Literature
V.2 Secondary Literature
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper examines Bernard Malamud’s short story "Take Pity" (1958), focusing on the interplay between realistic and fantastic elements and the multifaceted nature of compassion. It explores how the characters' motivations and the story's structure challenge traditional interpretations of charity and human pride.
- Analysis of narrative levels and the potential ambiguity between reality and fantasy.
- Evaluation of the "census-taker" motif as a stylistic and thematic device.
- Discussion of the ethical and psychological complexities of giving and receiving pity.
- Examination of the protagonists' roles, specifically Rosen's struggle and Eva’s pride.
Excerpt from the Book
III.3 The Realistic and Fantastic Elements in “Take Pity”
There are two main directions for the interpretation of “Take Pity”. One possible interpretation is to assume that “Take Pity” is a fantastic story that deals with one realistic level, the relationship of Rosen and Eva before Rosen’s ultimate action of putting his head in the stove, and one unreal level, the conversation of Rosen and Davidov. The other way of seeing “Take Pity” is to assume that it is a realistic story containing two realistic threads, connected with each other, interspersed with fantastic elements.
There are several indications that “Take Pity” is indeed a realistic story. When the story starts, there is a detailed description about the place where Rosen is located. The room is described as clean but cold and sparsely furnished with a shut window. It is a description of a very earthly place, especially the “[…] small sink with a rough piece of green, institutional soap on its holder […]” (Take Pity 85) seems to be too ordinary to be fantastic. In addition, those or very similar circumstances and locations recur often in Malamud’s stories and give no reason to doubt the realistic meaning. The characters are explicitly humanlike even if they do not behave humanly at any time; their reactions, motivations, desires and afflictions are very earthlike.
Chapter Summary
I. Introduction: Outlines the paper's goal to investigate the realistic and fantastic elements of "Take Pity" alongside the dimensions of compassion depicted in the story.
II. Bernard Malamud: Provides a biographical overview of the author, highlighting his background and the literary influences that shaped his work.
III. Bernard Malamud’s “Take Pity”: This main section introduces the narrative structure, character dynamics, the debate over the story's realism versus fantasy, and the thematic role of compassion.
IV. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, asserting that in Malamud's world, failure and hope are linked, and that charity should never come at the expense of human pride.
V. Bibliography: Lists the primary and secondary sources used for the analysis.
Keywords
Bernard Malamud, Take Pity, Short Story, Compassion, Rakhmones, Realism, Fantastic Literature, Charity, Pride, Rosen, Eva Kalish, Davidov, Afterworld, Human Relationships, Altruism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper provides a critical analysis of Bernard Malamud’s 1958 short story "Take Pity," examining its narrative structure and the complex motivations behind the characters' actions.
What are the central themes discussed?
The study centers on the definition of compassion, the conflict between egoistic and altruistic motives, the boundaries between the real and the fantastic, and the role of pride in rejecting charity.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to analyze how "Take Pity" functions as both a realistic and fantastic narrative and to explore how the titular concept of "pity" is fundamentally misunderstood by the protagonist.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The author employs a literary-analytical approach, utilizing textual evidence, biographical context, and secondary literary criticism to interpret the story's symbols and themes.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers a detailed character analysis, a debate on the story's genre classification (realism vs. fantasy), and an in-depth examination of the psychological dynamics of giving and receiving help.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Malamud, compassion, realism, fantastic literature, charity, pride, and the specific dynamics between the characters Rosen and Eva.
How does the author interpret the character of Davidov?
Davidov is interpreted as a bureaucrat of an unspecified, possibly unworldly institution, whose presence serves to facilitate the interrogation of Rosen's life and motivations.
Why does Eva Kalish persistently reject Rosen's charity?
Eva’s rejection is seen as an act of "womanly pride" and a psychological defense mechanism, as accepting help would mean acknowledging defeat and losing her autonomy in a life defined by suffering.
- Citation du texte
- Axel Eberhardt (Auteur), 2003, "Take Pity" by Bernard Malamud, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/20285
