Künstlerroman Essay

Section VI (Destiny)

     Success was a gain that Asher Lev experienced in My Name is Asher Lev, however, it came at the cost of his own happiness. Crucifixion I and Crucifixion II were viewed in the art world as masterpieces, but in the Ladover Hasidic Judaic world, the masterpieces of the goyim world were ultimately what led to his being sent away from what had always been his home. "‘Go to the yeshiva in Paris...‘Asher Lev,’ the Rebbe said softly. "You have crossed a boundary. I cannot help you. You are alone now. I give you my blessings" (367).  Clearly his success, viewed as mere blaspheme by his religious background and community, alienated him from those very people. This blow to Asher’s personal well being is all the more tragic, especially when one considers the fact that the awkward, often bitterly unforgiving relationship between Asher and his father, had recently been in metamorphosis. Asher’s father attended Asher’s final art show that the reader reads about in My Name is Asher Lev. As imagined, Aryeh, Asher’s father, reacted as such: "Who are you? the expression said. Are you really my son? He had not spoken to me then. He did not speak to me now. He took my mother’s arm and led her through the silent crowd, walking with deliberate slowness..." (361). Such a reaction, especially from his father, would have been far more painful to Asher’s character than if his art show had failed miserably. Although the epitome of Asher’s artistic success coincided with an enormous psychological defeat for Asher Lev, the painter experienced many successes without immense tragedy in his upbringing in Brooklyn; thus, many successful decisions in Asher’s childhood contributed to his artistic success, and, ironically, to his alienation from those whose approval he sought most rigorously.

     Among the limited artistic influences in his young life, Asher Lev was strongly influenced by Jacob Kahn, for obvious reasons. The knowledge that Jacob Kahn passed down to Asher, especially the wisdom and experience of being a Jewish artist, were key to Asher’s success. The knowledge passed down to Asher not only helped him to mature as a painter, but also to alleviate some of the guilt that he felt about his "gift". Similarly, Anna Schaeffer contributed to Asher's success by exposing his artwork to buyers, but ironically harmed his mental state of being through her lack of understanding about his guilt and hesitation, and seemingly greedy nature at times. Asher’s uncle contributed to Asher’s success as well, in a minute way, although he ultimately is angered by the crucifixion pieces for a time, which again shows how with Asher's success there came much alienation and mental harm to him.

     Another point of success of Asher occurred much earlier in his life. Once his gift "returned" Asher knew that he would not suppress it after that point. This was, once again, an artistic success for Asher, but an unhappy personal decision, as he faced opposition from the his religious community, to an extent; mostly, opposition came from the person whom Asher most desired love and acceptance from: Aryeh, his father. Interesting to note, though Asher's father serves the Rebbe and is a firm follower of the Torah, the Rebbe is the cause of  much of the conflict between Asher and his father in My Name is Asher Lev. The Rebbe uultimately decides that Asher should study art under Jacob Kahn, and causes Asher's ultimate lienation, yet at the ssame time liberation, by telling him to go to the yeshiva in Paris.

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