Abstract: As an American Jewish writer, Bernard Malamud is skillful in depicting the tough fate of those Jews who live in America, which aims to show the theme that people continue to seek for the good moral character in suffering. The Assistant is his classic novel. In the novel, Malamud thinks that those Jews who suffer for human beings are the embodiment of human moral, and the character Morris Bober is a case in point. The theme of the paper is about the protagonist Frank’s moral regeneration. Frank is greatly influenced by Morris. He struggles between the matter and morality, then he rebirths morally in the end. 

Key words: Bernard Malamud; The Assistant; moral struggle; suffering; moral regeneration

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1.-Introduction-1

2.-Bernard Malamud’s The Assistant and His Moral Theme-3

2.1 Malamud’s Life and The Assistant-3

2.2 Malamud’s Attitude to Morality-5

3.-The Moral Struggle of Frank Alpine-8

3.1 Frank Alpine’s Bad Counterpart: Ward Minogue (the Pursuit of Material)-8

3.2 Frank Alpine’s Good Counterpart: St. Francis (the Pursuit of Spirit)-9

3.3 Frank Alpine’s Moral Struggle under Morris Bober’s Moral Influence-11

3.4 Frank Alpine’s Moral Struggle under Helen Bober’s Moral Influence-14

4.-Frank Alpine’s Moral Regeneration-16

4.1 Frank’s Moral Regeneration Showed by Imagery-17

4.2 Frank’s Changes from Evil to Good-18

4.3 Significance of Frank’s Moral Regeneration-19

5.-Conclusion-20

References-21