Mr. Savo’s Epiphanies

5 Pages 1303 Words

Mr. Savo presents many thoughts on life by the comments he makes during events happening in Reuven’s stay in the hospital. His comments can relate to events that Reuven experiences. Mr. Savo’s comments on life can be broken down into three categories. His comments are based on life’s difficulties, life’s lack of remorse, and the people in life out to get you. Chaim Potok uses Mr. Savo as a foil character for Reuven to explore the challenges and difficulties that life can throw at anyone.
After Danny visits Reuven, Mr. Savo asks who Danny was. Reuven tells him that Danny was the boy who hit him and that he, Reuven, could of ducked. Mr. Savo has a comment on people that are out to “clop” other people, “Anyone out to clop you doesn’t want you to duck, kid, I know”(76). This comment shows the reader that Mr. Savo is familiar with clopping people. Mr. Savo is one of the people out to clop people and he doesn’t want the people to “duck”. Even though Mr. Savo’s comment is false in Danny’s case it is found to be true in general. The comment relates to Reuven’s experience with Danny. Mr. Savo’s comment is like a foreshadowing for Reuven because it turns out that Danny did not want to hit Reuven. Danny explains to Reuven that, he hits straight to the pitcher because of his hitting style. Danny’s close call with the pitcher before Reuven was also unintentional.
Mr. Savo’s introduction seems rough and the reader perceives the idea that Mr. Savo is a fighter and is tough, “ ‘Chicken’ the man to my left said. ‘Who can do a ten rounder on chicken?’ ”(43). This comment, from Mr. Savo, shows that he is looking to “clop” someone. The reader sees that Mr. Savo is the kind of person in life that is out to clop people. Mr. Savo also tells Reuven, “ ‘Tough as a ring post,’ Mr. Savo said, grinning at me. ‘But a great heart.’ ”(44). This comment from Mr. Savo can be int...