GIMPEL THE FOOL BY ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER

SUMMARY
People think that Gimpel is imbecile, but he isn’t. Everybody around him deceives him. Although he doesn’t believe them, he chooses to seem foolish person. Gimpel is orphan and he marries a woman who says she is also orphan, but this is not true. People say him “she is virgin pure” but this is also not true. She is pregnant when they marry and she cheats on him most of the time. Then she gives birth to even other children, none of whom are Gimpel’s. When she is on her deathbed she confesses everything and wants him to forgive her. Later when he is asleep evil comes and ask him a few questions. Gimpel’s answers are logical and related to God. According to him he shouldn’t deceive and lie to people because God sees everything. Briefly Gimpel chooses good way which reaches God.
POINT OF VIEW
The story is told from the viewpoint of first person narration because “I” is used all through the story.
THEME
The theme is “faith”. Although Gimpel is deceived most of the time by villagers and even his wife, he doesn’t give up believing God.
CHARACTERS
Gimpel is round character because we know his thoughts and feelings. Although everybody around him think that he is imbecile, he doesn’t think like them. As the story progresses we understand that he is clever man. When people cheat on him he doesn’t want to take revenge on them because God sees everything and bad behaviour is sin. Gimpel knows that he is not as stupid as the people think. In the end we understand that Gimpel is right.
Elka is his wife. She isn’t virgin pure and she deceives him a lot. Although she is his wife, her behaviour is not different from ordinary people.
IRONY
People think that Gimpel is not clever, but he is cleverer than them because he sees many things that other people can’t see.