Reading Response 1: Week of 4/3/11

Short Story Masterpieces

Bernard Malamud

“The Magic Barrel”

I didn’t have quite the same reaction as the rest of the class. One thing I was struck by—and I’m wondering if that’s why Professor Ellison had us read this particular story at the same time that we were reading about Point of View and Voice in the other book—is that the story seemed so clearly told from Leo’s narrow perspective. He projected so much onto the women and even onto Salzman. I felt that a lot of his general unhappiness and harsh view of others was born out of his feelings of lacking direction and being forced into a profession for which he had no passion, and the feelings of incompetence that came from that situation. I think part of why Stella seemed like a match made in heaven was because, well maybe she was, but more than that: he saw her as on his level, not someone (like Lily) whose competence and expectations he would have to live up to for the rest of his life, but someone who could accept him as he was and together either rise or fall or go in an entirely different direction. As for Salzman, I’m not sure if he arranged it or if he didn’t, but one thing I was sure of is that his relationship with his daughter wasn’t what his words to Leo made it appear. My take on it was that he was saying all of the things that Leo might have said months or years ago, the default reaction a rabbi might have, the reaction he’s no doubt heard plenty of times before from other clients, the general public, maybe even his wife. Perhaps that was why he and his wife felt so aloof. I was with Professor Ellison and Yeeva on the “songs for the dead” part. It felt hopeful to me, not dismissive or morbid… although I also get the feeling that chanting songs for the dead was kind of how he spent his weekends. Even that, I think, would illustrate his sympathy towards society’s “dead,” rather than viewing outcasts as lost causes. Anyway, that was my impression. (I have more thoughts on Lily but I’m sick as a dog right now and can’t concentrate, so it will have to wait for some other time.)

p.s. I wrote my initial paragraph in class from Leo’s reflection’s point of view. But I thought that might be cheating, so I change it to Lily and wasn’t satisfied with what I came up with. It felt very clichéd and silly. I liked the reflection paragraph better but scrapped it. Oops.