T 1290.pdf - Pondicherry University DSpace Portal

strongly and carefully Plotted; they write of happenings ratherthan of coolly objectified states of mind. The plot, in thesense of a clean line of action brought into being by somamoral energy typically emphasized the virtuousity of thefinished art work. The point is that literature is stillcapable of true moral thrust. Jewish writers have no monopolyon these qualiti'zs, but the degree to which they are exhibiteddoes make them a manifestation of the Jewish spirit in aSecular age. The result was a break-through and Malamud was oneof those writers at the vanguard of it. And Malamud's centralthrust was to wri'eemotions-the moral obligation to "qlve".-about the simplest and the most basic ofThe Assistant becomes an excellent plece In the study ofaffirmation of the human spirlt revealing certain humanqualities like honour, integrity and fellow-feellng revealedthrough varlous c'ldt.acters. Malamud In tbls novel goes to theroots in the search for ~dentity and hls protagonists bydrawlng on thelr Jewish heritage develop humanistically basedethical standards and try to live In a determined manner thatlends self-definition to their existence.T ~ novels E of Malamud demonstrates the clash Of dreams, aconf lic:t between generations, between men and women,motherjfather and sonjdaughter, black and white. This clashbet,deen variousof people is shown without anger or