Some people say that the difference between real life and stories is that real life always contains loose ends, unfinished plots, and indescribable feelings. It is when authors such as Chaim Potok embody these inexpressible feelings in their works that literary realism is created. Through its plot, the relationships between the characters, the setting and the images, Potok creates a realistic vision of the lives and friendship of Reuven and Danny. Even though the relationship between Danny and his father is extreme, it shows realistic tensions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The novel illustrates Danny's relationship with his father as unique and interesting, but difficult and difficult to explain, as real-life relationships often are. Danny tells Reuven about his father: "For years his silence baffled and frightened me, although I always trusted him, I never hated him" (278). Danny's fatherly relationship is one of independent learning, as his father never teaches him life skills, only Talmud. Parents often let their children fend for themselves, in order to teach them to be independent and not have to rely on others. Danny also explains how he feels his father is pressuring him to become a tzaddik by saying, "It's like a dynasty: if the son doesn't take the father's place, the dynasty collapses" (129 ). The children grapple with the possibility of disappointing their parents, just as Danny doesn't want to disappoint his father by confessing his conflicting feelings about his future. Parents place their hopes in their children and sometimes fail to hide their disapproval when that child takes another path. When asked if he would raise his child in silence, as he was raised, Danny responds, "Yes, if I find no other way" (284). All Danny has to remember is how he was raised by his father. Faced with a difficult decision, he chooses to use the method he has seen work in the past and, instead of passing on the role of tzaddik, he passes on his father's silence. The relationship between Danny and his father, as expressed by Potok, is based on difficulties that echo the tensions found in most parent-child relationships. Potok also demonstrates realism through his diction and imagery in portraying his character. Reb Saunders, for example, is described as having “a reputation for genius and compassion” (112). Although Reb is seen throughout most of the novel as the antagonist, being the driving force in Reuven and Danny's separation, towards the end he is portrayed more as a father figure. In real relationships, one's story has many facets, and Potok presents the many aspects of Reb Saunder in his writings, highlighting both the tzaddik and the father in him. Reuven's character also deepens, as Chaim has him express: "Suddenly I had the feeling that everything around me was blurry" (72). From the beginning of the novel, Potok's characters begin to develop and come to life. “Blindness” helps him see Danny, not only as a Hasid, but also as a boy his own age. Danny speaks about his career: “People expect me to be their rabbi. My family has been their rabbi for six generations. now” (129). His difficult decision not to be a tzaddik is comparable to the difficult decisions many young adults make during their lives. Danny is forced to choose between his lineage and what he wants himself.