The Golem and the Jinni - Chapters 01-04 (April 2014)

[Casceil]

This thread is for discussion of the first four chapters of The Golem and The Jinni. In these chapters we meet our main characters, and also the Rabbi, who will help the Golem find her way, and Arbeeley, the tin-smith, who will take in the Jinni and claim him as his apprentice.

[Peter]

What we have here in The Golem and the Jinni is the immigrant experience of the 19th and early 20th century (and particularly, the American immigrant experience) as seen through the filter of the supernatural. The Golem and the Jinni are, in some ways, the archetypical foreigners, not only foreign in nationality and culture, but foreign in their very natures.

I'm the grandson, great-grandson and great-great grandson of immigrants, and this element of the book really resonated with me. My father's mother Jennie, was born in England to Lithuanian immigrants. When the Great Depression hit, they decided to move back to Lithuania. My grandmother was having none of that, although only 14, she talked one of her uncles into immigrating to the United States with here. There she soon met my grandfather, Morris, who was in his late 20's and told him "I'm going to marry you when I grow up, and you're going to wait for me." And he did and she did.

[Deborah]

I like the cadence of the writing. it put me UB mind of other Jewish stories in a way I can't define.

[Casceil]

The Golem and the Jinni are obviously not entirely typical "new immigrants." They face the same challenges as other immigrants, but have extra added challenges of their own. For the Golem,life is a new experience. She was created to follow orders from a master, but loses her master almost immediately, and has to learn to think for herself, while being mentally bombarded by the wishes and wants of everyone around her. The Jinni has lived a long time, but in a totally different world, long in the past, and everything has changed. The biggest challenge for the Jinni, though, is that he is "bound" to human form, and can no longer use most of his powers.

I was intrigued by the choice of "qualities" the Golem was given, including curiosity and intelligence. These qualities obviously contribute to her success in her new life. These are also qualities the Jinni possesses. How important are these qualities for any new immigrant? How much do the Golem and the Jinni have in common with other immigrants?

[LindaJ^]

Interesting questions Casceil. I think the Jinni and the Golem had a lot in common with other new immigrants, and I think intelligence and curiosity are characteristics of value to new immigrants to any country. Curiousity is needed so as to not be lost in despair and distress for the style of life left behind. Intelligence helps in being able to learn what is needed to not only survive but to succeed in the new country. Of course, here Chava had no old life to despair about having left but without curiousity, she might never have wanted to venture out of the rabbi's apartment.

[Casceil]

I found it interesting that those were the qualities Rotfield asked for when the Golem was created. He sounded like such a loser, personally, but he picked good qualities for the Golem to have.

[LindaJ^]

Indeed, Rotfield did ask for characteristics that surprised the maker but ones that gave her a chance of surviving without a master. I don't think we were given enough information about Rotfield to make those choices understandable. Perhaps it was just the author's way of giving the golem a personality that would fit the story she wished to tell?

[Casceil]

Linda wrote: "Perhaps it was just the author's way of giving the golem a personality that would fit the story she wished to tell?

Perhaps. The author gave a plausible explanation--that Rotfield was thinking about his sister, who was apparently one of the few people he had actually liked in his life.

[LindaJ^]

Casceil wrote: "Linda wrote: "Perhaps it was just the author's way of giving the golem a personality that would fit the story she wished to tell?

Perhaps. The author gave a plausible explanation--that Rotfield w..."

I agree that it is a plausible explanation, but then we know very little about Rotfield. His sole purpose seems to be to provide a reason for the golem's creation.

[Jane from B.C.]

I find it interesting that both the Golem and the Jinni end up in the care of similar men. Both men are single and living in very spartan conditions. Both immigrants are willing to help out these new comers who are in need of protection and guidance. The Golem is new to her human form and needs to be taught how to behave while the Jinni is new to this new modern place and must be given a cover story.

At the conclusion of chapter four, I am curious about why the story has jumped back to Konin to telling the back story of Yehudah Schaalman - creator of the Golem.

[Peter]

There's a fair bit of jumping back in this book, Jane, but it all makes sense at the end.

[Casceil]

It is interesting that both the Golem and the Jinni wound up in good hands. The Rabbi was, in a sense, self-selected. He saw a golem, and went to investigate, because (1) how could this be? and (2) golems are dangerous, since they may run amok. Taking in a golem in female form must have felt really strange for him, since it was clearly improper in the teachings of his religion for him to have a woman living with him.

Arbeeley, on the other hand, wound up with the Jinni just appearing in his workshop. I suspect that must have been a bit intimidating for him. What could he do besides be friendly? Call the police? Who would believe him?

[Sophia]

Casceil wrote: "What could he do besides be friendly? Call the police? Who would believe him? "

*titter* Good job both the Golem and the Jinni were useful!

[Casceil]

Both were useful, but faced the added challenge that they could not be obvious about just how useful they were, lest they give away the secret of their supernatural natures.

[Sophia]

*sigh* I know the feeling!

[Whitney]

Sophia wrote: "*sigh* I know the feeling!"

Ha!