Last Friday, we continued our discussion of the central figures in the novel My Name is Asher Lev. Our focus was primarily on Jacob Kahn and Anna Schaeffer. We then began a consideration of how Potok explored the role of art and the artist, especially when that role conflicted with religious tradition.
Participants found Jacob Kahn (not linked to any specific Jewish artist, but representative of a spectrum of early 20th-century artists) to be an intensely complex figure. Although he is Jewish, he is wholly unobservant; his attention is clearly and obsessively on his art and the work of other artists. He seems to see the world entirely from an aesthetic perspective. Nonetheless, vestiges of his Jewish background still exist. It is possible that Asher somehow stirs these vestiges. Jacob visits a Chassidic farbrengen; he dances with Asher and the Torah on Simchat Torah and later makes a sculpture of this dancing–a sculpture that he keeps in his home rather than offering it for sale. Jacob was deliberately chosen by the Rebbe (who, one of us speculated, may have known Jacob when they were both in Paris) to mentor Asher, and he is generous with the time he spends with the young artist. Gallery owner Anna Schaeffer occupies the world of art as a commercial venture. Unlike Jacob and Asher, whose heads are often in the clouds, Anna’s feet are planted firmly on the ground. We speculated that Jacob and Anna (along with Jacob’s wife, Tanya–notably this is also the title of the central text of the Chabad movement) served as surrogate parents for Asher. In the summers, Asher repeatedly turns down invitations to be with his parents in Europe (the one effort he makes turns out to be abortive) or in the Berkshires in favor of spending time with Jacob and Tanya on Cape Cod.
Asher’s attachment to Jacob, and the world he lives in has a significant impact on his development as an artist. Asher learns from his mentor that Art represents Freedom, an opportunity, in the words of Robert Henri, and echoed by Jacob, to “free himself from his family, his nation, and his race.” We discussed (and will continue to discuss this week) how this dictum is also found in Christian scripture in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke which suggest, at least metaphorically, that anyone who loves his father, mother, sister, brother, children, etc. more than Jesus and his teachings, cannot be a true disciple. It is important to note, however, that unlike Jacob, who seems to have abandoned his religious faith, Asher remains an observant Jew, keeping kosher, donning tefillin, fasting. From Jacob’s insistence that Asher assiduously spend his time reading and visiting museums to study the work of past and current artists, the younger artist develops a strong sense of Art as Institution (Tradition). An artist then produces work that recognizes tradition by further developing it. This is seen most clearly in Asher’s arguments that his paintings are not of naked women but of nudes. From Anna, Asher eventually learns the value of art as a commodity–something that helps to pay the bills.
This Friday, we’ll continue our discussion of the aesthetic dimensions of My Name is AsherLev as they are expressed in Chapters 13 and 14, (pp. 293-350). Particular attention will be paid to art as Expression and art as Religion.
Our informal discussion group, which has been in operation for 25 years, now meets via Zoom every Friday from 12-1 (check CBI’s web site or weekly announcements for updates and a link). All are welcome to attend.Copies of Potok’s novel should be available through a variety of internet booksellers. If you have questions, contact Jay Jacoby atjbjacoby@charlotte.edu.
