A Pathetic Schlemiel to a Powerful Stalwart – A Study of Bernard Malamud’s The Fixer

Abstract

As a Jewish-American writer, Bernard Malamud’s work is anchored in the Yiddish Literary tradition, and there are many traits of the Jewish-American Immigration fiction in his novels. The effectiveness of Jewish character and the situation as related to Malamud’s view of suffering, his use of the schlemiel figure, the conflict within the individual, the use of comedy which is often prominent and permits Malamud to attain the bitter sweet quality that marks so much in his novel and the final triumph of the protagonist promote Malamud’s never-ending theme that humanistic virtues like love, compassion and mutual understanding are necessary for human survival. The Malamudian schlemiel move from withdrawal to commitment, from self-regard to self-sacrifice and emphasize his mortality through concern towards others. No matter how pathetic or foolish but self-scrutiny controls the character who is once selfish, lustful and frustrated individual with a dominated need for success and position.