Duddy kravitz

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 11th grade February 2008

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Honesty is in our lives whether we are to be honest or dishonest, and will become obvious through the actions we make. Even though we shouldn't be dishonest, we must brake the rules sometimes.

In the novel "Duddy Kravitz" honesty is a major theme. It is shown that there are parts of honesty and dishonesty in each of the main characters. Duddy especially suffered because of his dishonesty, and caused those who loved him to suffer also. In the beginning of the novel, we see Duddy develop into a trouble making student. While in class he wouldn't listen and he would talk back to theteacher and give him no respect. Outside of his class he would be no different. He would cheat and lie and get away with almost anything he did. One example of this is when he told everyone about his fake brother Bradley. "Duddy told the boys about his brother Bradley.

I got a letter from him only yesterday aft. As soon as I'm finished up at Flectcher's Field he wants me to cume down to Arizona to help out on the ranch like."(Pg.14) Duddy was also a teen who was hard to handle in life. As Duddy got older he began to know more about what to do in his life. He decided to get his owl land. This decision came from the fact that his grandfather, Simcha, had given him advice about man. He told him "A man without land is nobody"(Pg.48) So with this advice Duddy set his sights on getting himself his own piece of land. Duddy seemed like a changed man but he wasn't. One day Duddy met a girl named Yvette. He liked her and so he decided to go out with her. this was good at the time but as long as Duddy needed something he would stop at nothing to get it. What this means is that during their relationship Duddy had used Yvette a few times son he could get what he wanted which was wrong and deceitful. One example, which can be shown, is when he used Yvette's name to buy his land. "The farmers would be wary of a young Jsw, they might jack up prices or even refuse to sell, but another French-Canadian would not be suspected."(Pg.101) Duddy was a very dishonest person and there was nothing he or anyone else could do to try to change it.

Jerry Dingleman could be another very dishonest person. Jedrry was an immoral man who had gone from being a bum to being a "gangster". "He was just another bum at the time. And what is he now? The gangster."(Pg.23) Jerry Dingleman made a living off selling drugs and being a high time gangster. This is not the way any one though it would be. Once Duddy was looking for a way to make some money. So what did he do? He went tod Jerry. Jerry, the gangster he is, told Duddy that if he would like to make some money he would have to run an arraign for him. Little did Duddy know that he was being tricked and that if he got ddcaught he could be sent to jail. "Oh, I'm the dirty guy eh? I'm the squealer. What do you call da guy who gets an innocent minor to smuggle dope across the border for him?"(Pg.286) Jerry was dvery dishonest and what he did to Duddy was very immoral and wrong. What Duddy did was wrong to because he could of gotten jail time but of course he was not aware of this. d Another dishonest character that we can look at in this essay is Max Kravitz (Duddy's father). Max was an ordinary father who drove taxis for a liviHg. He did although do one thing which Duddy did know about at first. He was a pimp. Duddy says "You're a pimp."(Pg.28) And from that moment on Duddy did not care about his father pimping and he chose not to talk about it.Max was also had favoritism between his two sons Duddy and Lenny. He favored his son Lenny more than Duddy because of Lennie's accomplishments. Lenny had many scholarships and was going to become a doctor. He was the son everyone would love to have. On the other hand Duddy was a nobody who no intentions of being a somebody, just like his dad. This is the reason why Duddy was not liked as much as Lenny. "He's not gonna be a sawbones. Duddy's a dope like me. Aren't you kid? Lennie's 21. He had scholarships all through school."(Pg.22) As you can see to have favortism in a family does not work and it is wrong and very dishonest.

A very dishonest incident we look at is between Virgil and Duddy. Virgil was a very good friend of Duddy's and together they were making money. One thing Duddy forgot to realize though ie as Virgil was doing his job, was that Virgil had epilepsy. As Virgil went out one day to do his job he got into a fatal accident and was hospitalized. Virgil was not able to walk again and Duddy felt bad because he had a part in causing the accident. Though this accident happened Duddy was still searching for a way he could make money. So what he did was ask his pal Virgie because he knew he had money, but he said no. The answer was no but in Duddy's mind it was yes so he went along with a plan to steal Virgil's mdoney. Duddy had called Virgil's bank. "Disguising his voice, he told the bank manager, 'This is Mr Roseboro speaking' He gave the address"(Pg.304) Duddy was very cruel to Virgil but he did what he had to do so he could get his land and be happy.

Finally honesty and dishonestyccan relate to Duddy and Yvette. Yvette was a girl Duddy met at the resort and was Duddy's so called "girlfriend". Although Duddy did like Yvette he would always use her so he could benefit. "If you promise me that, I'll give you fifty dollars."(Pg.100) That's why you musn't tell anyone we came here or bring anyone else here."(Pg.101) Yvette proved to be a very honest womadn to Duddy but she also was dishonest with Duddy at times. One dishonest mistake she made was not telling Duddy about the Mr.Friar incident. "A Hebrew never marries outside his own race. I'd marry you. I'm mad for you."(Pg.163). She chose not to tell Duddy because she knew it would upset him and she wanted to stay as his girl. In the end Yvette does choose to leave Duddy because of the incident with Virgil. Even though Yvette left Duddy he was happy because he had what he wanted.

To conclude we should be honest in our lives and we shopuld know when to tell the truth from the whole truth. Sometimes we must be dishonest but that is only because we do it for a good reason other than that it is wrong. People in the world should be honest and if we all try our very hardest we can achievea a better world..