MY NAME IS ASHER LEV

Chapter 9

Andrew Beck

Period 7 2/24/99

Mr. Luizzi

The ninth chapter begins with Jacob Kahn giving an important message to Asher involving two kinds of artists. Kahn states that one type of artist paints the world as a flower and the other paints it with geometric design. Kahn is a geometric painter. He teaches Asher that one must have truth with one’s feeling to produce good art. False feelings can be seen instantly in an artists painting. This is demonstrated when Asher tries to paint the pimply boy that mistreats him. Only when Asher paints the truth of his feelings does he produce quality art.

Also, Asher Lev starts to straddle to different worlds similar to what his mother does. Rivkeh is split between the two people she loves most- her son and her husband. She does not want to impede her son’s great ability but she also values her husbands intentions. These two totally opposite states of mind put Rivkeh into a difficult situation. This is what ultimately brings about the separation of parents to child. The most meaningful and best painting of Asher’s career, the Brooklyn Crucifixion portrays what his mother’s feelings were during her endless hours waiting at the window of their living room. This is depicted when Asher is questioning what his mom is doing and she responds as remembering while she looks out the window at the dark street. Rivkeh seems lonely and asks that Asher come home from the library sooner because it is so silent in the apartment. With her son constantly gone at Jacob Kahn’s and her husband living in Vienna Rivkeh is in a world of her own with no one to pull her out. She often seems to be dazed and out of it, sometimes whispering to herself in Russian.

Asher’s situation isn’t much different. He is caught between his world of art with Jacob Kahn and his life at home when he is at his apartment or when he lives with his Uncle Yitzchok. His Uncle tells him that it is indecent for him to paint only half-naked, so Asher only paints half-naked at Jacob Kahn’s. Also, when Asher is confronted with the choice of painting a model in the nude he has much difficulty coming to a decision. Thoughts of his mythic ancestor, the Rebbe and the mashpia become flushed into his head. He is very nervous at the thought of painting somebody who is naked. Even after the drawings show a vast improvement he still seems to be sad. Kahn tries to comfort him by telling him all he did was draw a beautiful picture of a beautiful girl. That he did not defile her, yet Asher feels vaguely unclean. It is here that Asher has stepped over the thin line of going past the limit and to go through all lengths to better his artistic skills.