Man A New Suit example essay topic

"Eli, The Fanatic" is a short story about a young lawyer dealing with ethical issues in his community. He is torn apart in his decision of choosing between a 'man in a lawyer's suit' and his neighborhood. We find that Eli is trapped in between two conflicting cultures. He, himself has assimilated with his Protestant neighbors and wishes that the Jewish man in the old, black suit would do the same.

Eli is driven to the extreme by trying to get the poor, unfortunate man to change his attire consequently his identity. In the beginning Eli seems focused and put together. Yet, we find that Eli is disoriented because of his wife, career and surroundings. He urges the 'man in the suit' to take off his black one and put on Eli's green, lawyer suit. The Black suit makes Eli crazy because it represents old, traditional, European ways.

By changing suits, Eli is making the man change his culture. The Black suit shows that the 'man' is not assimilated, especially since all the Jewish, traditional, males wear them. It represents their isolationism from the world. The men that wear the Black suits have their own attire, language and culture.

Eli is persistent on getting the man a new suit. Mr. Tzu ref responds to Eli, "The suit the gentleman wears is all he's got". Now logically speaking the man can get a new suit but by giving it up, he is developing a whole new identity. The Jews that have come to Woodenton are survivors of the Holocaust. The Black signifies the morbid colors of pain and anguish that these men suffered. They have been deprived of their freedom, religion and family; all they have left are these suits.

The community is quite disturbed that some strange individual comes to glance through and shop in their town. The town's people don't like change. They want to avoid it all costs. They are afraid of what could happen if their community changes.

"Next thing they " ll be after our daughters". (302) Eli's wife, Miriam agrees with the rest of her neighbors that the 'man in the suit's would just leave their community. Eli is the only one that feels that justice should be served. He is just a "man in a suit" she would say. Yet, Eli knows that this man has potential to be like the rest of them, modern so he changes him into a green suit. The new, green, lawyer suit makes the 'man' modern and assimilated.

It is a climax showing that the 'man' is ready to change. By putting on a new suit with color the 'man' is separating from his own culture and changing his identity. In Europe the 'man' would never deviate from his society and put on a green, lawyer suit. This action determines that the man is ready to revolutionize and adapt to his American surroundings. In the story, it is clear that Green signifies change and integration. Eli and Miriam's baby is born green.

The concepts of green shows that not only will the life of the 'man in the suit' change but so will the lives of Eli and his wife. Now that they have a baby, Eli would have to pay more attention to his family. The visual symbolism that we see in the character himself is that Eli is suffering from guilt. His guilt symbolizes his connection to the 'man in the suit' because they both don't have a place in society. Not this man or Eli seems to know where they belong. Though, Eli can't relate to the man, he feels for him.

He doesn't want the Jewish people to suffer because he, himself is Jewish. Yet, he knows that by helping these people he is in essence, helping himself. Eli wants this man to fit in so badly because if he gives up on him, he would be giving up on himself. "Damn it, Miriam! I'm giving this guy a new suit, is that all right? From now on he comes into Woodenton like everybody else, is that all right with you?" (312) Eli argues with his wife over this man that he has never spoken to because he feels that this man is like him, trying to find a place in the world.

Eli finds it annoying that his wife won't let him change himself or the 'man in the suit'. On the outside Eli has nothing in common with the man, but on the inside they are more alike than they think. They both need to change in order to fit in even if they themselves are not happy with their conversion. At the end of the story they don't just swap suits but in a mild way, identities. On the surface we see that Eli is quite fortunate.

He has a lovely wife, he is a soon to be father, good career and nice community. It seems that the Religious Jews are displaced and unhappy. We find this not to be the case. Here Eli has mental and marital issues, while the Jews, if left alone are very happy.

The only reason the 'man' put on the suit was because he knew that in order for him to fit in and be respected in the non-Jewish community, is if he changes his identity. Eli gets very caught up in his battle to facilitate the man in the suit, because when his wife is having a baby, he is nervous and confused. He ends up very unstable because he has difficulty determining his true identity. The theme in this story is 'switching roles'. It seems like one man's misery is another man's treasure. Eli doesn't really want to be a religious Jew but he values their unity and togetherness.

As an assimilated Jew, Eli feels displaced. The religious Jews whom are not assimilated feel displaced as well. They have no home, and the one home they are establishing for themselves is being taken away by the non-Jews. The author shows us how people from such different backgrounds and life styles can have so many of the same issues. He expresses these issues through the Men's attire. How the clothes that people wear can make such differences in who they are, and how they fit into society.

The suits in the story revolutionize a culture and community. We find that the smallest things make the biggest differences.