Tevye Strikes it Rich
In this story, Tevye turns his wagon around to give 2 women a ride to Boiberik which is where the summer cabins are located. At first he struggles because the horse would not budge even for a canon. Tevye was previously a carter. He carted logs for the timber industry. When he returns the women, they pay him with a large fortune. He uses this money to buy a milk cow to serve Yehupetz Jew's cheese, cream, etc. The forest in the story seems to represent a new beginning for Tevye. Chava This story talks about the many daughters of Tevye, specifically his third daughter, Chava. His first daughter, Tsaytl, married tailor. They are very happy, but have no money. The kids are starving. His second daughter, Hodl, is lost and gone forever. Her husband is doing time and she is doing the wash. But Chava, falls in love with Chvedka the scribe. Tevye is very angry when he hears her plan to marry him. He beats and skins his horse out of extreme rage. She runs off to marry him, a Russian Orthodox man. He likes the authors she likes and is politically progressive. Chava was a sickly child and had a special place in her parents heart. When she runs away, they mourn her loss for 7 days as if she has died. When Tevye sees her in the forest, he has a large internal debate on whether he should stop. This scene in the forest symbolizes radical uncertainty. Tevye think about universality humanism as he mulls over the loss of his daughter in the forest. |