THE MAGIC BARREL

Bernard Malamud

Ed Note: to understand the story’s analogy it’s important to understand a few underlying concepts in most religions of the world. 1. Everybody has a choice as to which direction he or she will take; good or bad. Based on the above, they will either be sent to heaven or hell. 2. Every person on earth has an angel that represents and guides him or her. 3. Reincarnation. A soul returning to earth to complete a mission that was not previously completed.

Saltzman Represents? Neither good nor bad, he is an angel.
Therefore Stella represents? Temptation
And Leo represents? The candidate.
The relationship Between Leo and Saltzman are? Saltzman is Leo angel - escort
The relationship of Stella to them is? The evil force.
This related to the central theme, which is?
Can messenger Saltzman guide his pupil pass the temptation of the world.

At the center of the story we have a fellow named Leo, Leo posses as a young rabbinic student who is looking for a br...