Friendships

Reuven Malter is the narrator of the story, and begins The Chosen like Danny Saunders as a fifteen year old boy living in Brooklyn, but he is from a less orthodox religious background and attends a more secular yeshiva. He becomes friends with Danny Saunders after Danny injures him during a softball game, and serves as a line of communication between Danny and his father, who speaks to Danny only when they discuss the Talmud. Although Reuven and Danny become friends, Reuven dislikes his father because of his stern treatment of Danny and his later command that Danny be forbidden to have any contact with Reuven because of his Zionist views.