The First Seven Years

Max"¦or Sobel "The First Seven Years" by Bernard Malamud, expresses the love of a father for his daughter. Max and Sobel are both involved with Feld's daughter. Feld wants the best for Miriam so he is trying to choose her spouse. Max and Sobel have countless differences and few similarities as followed.

Max is a very young and educated man who is set on and working towards his goal as a college graduate. He is very materialistic and is getting an education for all the nice worldly items including a well paying job, nice house, and elegant clothing. He is not respectful to his elders, like Feld. His outing with Miriam, because of the different personalities, did not work out. Since Max is a hard-worker and will get a good job, Feld approves of him dating his daughter. His spoiled and materialistic attitude towards life will definitely not help him in the long run and accomplish his goals.

English: Grave of American writer Bernard Malamud ...

English: Miriam depicted on the right

Feld

Sober is 35 years old and quite a bit older than Miriam. He is self-educated and taught his self for the mere pleasure of being knowledgeable and the intellectual growth. He is very realistic and spiritual. Unlike Max, he is very respectful to others as well as shy and meek. While Miriam and him like each other, Feld does not approve of him because of the social class and education. He does not have the desire to go to college, to make lots of money, as long as his physical needs are met and he works enough to pay for food to eat. He is portrayed as a quiet character that is secretly in love with Miriam and overlooked in Feld's eyes as the one for her.

Through all these differences Max and Sobel still have some similar traits.