My Name Is Asher Lev: Summary

My Name Is Asher Lev is a novel by Chaim Potok about a boy named Asher Lev who struggles between his faith and his passion for art. Asher’s talent for painting is immense, but it conflicts with the traditions of his Hasidic Jewish community. Asher must battle between his duty to God, and his duty to himself as an artist. He also struggles to find acceptance in his community while balancing the demands of both his family and his own ambitions. The themes explored in this book include family, faith, identity, conformity, and finding one’s place in the world.

1. What elements of Jewish faith and culture are explored in the novel?
2. How does Asher's religious upbringing influence his understanding of art and the world around him?
3. What themes of identity, belonging, and assimilation arise throughout the book?
4. How does Asher's relationship with his parents evolve over the course of the novel?
5. To what extent do spirituality, morality and art overlap in this book?
6. In what ways does Asher challenge and grapple with traditional notions of identity and creativity?
7. How do the characters use language to express their emotions or beliefs?
8. What role does community play in Asher's life and growth as an artist?
9. How does My Name is Asher Lev portray the struggle between personal fulfillment and familial obligations?
10. What messages about art, faith, tradition and identity are conveyed in this book?

• I found My Name Is Asher Lev to be a deeply moving exploration of identity and family.
• Asher’s struggle to reconcile his religious and artistic identities was an incredibly powerful story arc.
• The way the novel captures the tension between Asher's desire for personal fulfillment and his parents' expectations is incredibly well-crafted.
• I was struck by the way Chaim Potok was able to capture the intensity of Asher's internal conflict in such vivid detail.
• The symbolism of the painting throughout the novel was thought-provoking and poignant.
• Potok does a great job of making readers feel both empathy and admiration for Asher throughout the book.
• I found it fascinating how Potok used art as a metaphor for exploring complex questions about faith and identity.
• The narrative structure of My Name Is Asher Lev is masterful in its use of flashback and flash-forward storytelling techniques.
• It's remarkable how Potok creates so much intrigue and suspense without relying on any external sources of conflict or drama.
• The themes explored in My Name Is Asher Lev are timeless, making it an inspiring work of literature for readers of all ages.

1. "I wanted to paint the way a bird sings."
2. "The truth is, I have no choice in this matter. I must paint."
3. "When I paint, I don't think. I just let it come out of me."
4. "It is not what we do that matters, but how we do it."
5. "I had become an artist. An instrument of God."

1. My Name is Asher Lev (2020) - Feature Film directed by Maria Schrader and starring Jack Dylan Grazer and Ayelet Zurer. 2. My Name is Asher Lev (2013) - Stage Play adapted by Aaron Posner from Chaim Potok's novel, performed in the Arden Theatre in Philadelphia, USA. 3. My Name Is Asher Lev (2017) - Radio play adaptation by BBC Radio 4, UK. 4. My Name Is Asher Lev (2019) - Podcast adaptation produced by Audible Originals, USA.

• The Chosen
• The Promise
• The Book of Lights
• In the Beginning
• Davita's Harp
• The Gift of Asher Lev
• The Slave
• Wanderings: Chaim Potok's History of the Jews
• I Am the Clay