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The Assistant
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Plot Summary of The Assistant
"Morris Bober is a poor Jewish grocery store owner living in New York City following the end of World War Two. He, his wife Ida, and his daughter Helen struggle to make ends meet at the store. In an attempt to stay afloat financially, Morris rents out an upstairs room of his store to Frank Alpine.
Alpine is around Helen's age and Morris is nervous providing him with a room, but decides to let him stay. While Morris is struggling in a money-minded profession, he is also concerned with the welfare of his daughter.
"

Amanda Smart, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Assistant
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 1930's-1950's
Life of a profession: - businessman, small
Inside culture (main char) - Jew
Poverty, surviving Yes
Kind of living: - general poverty story
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Job/Profession/Status story Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - small businessman
Age: - 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality - Jewish
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - small businessman
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
Intelligence - Average intelligence

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 2 (a little)
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast
City? Yes
City: - New York

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references - descript. of female anat. (the big B's) - rape/molest (yeech!)
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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Bernard Malamud Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Amanda Smart  

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