The Analysis of the Themes in the Neighbors

賈彩榮

【Abstract】Isaac Bashevis Singer，is a leading figure，whose writing and publishing only in Yiddish，and his works are widely read by the people around the world.The neighbors is one of his famous short novels，which contains a lot of themes.However，the interpretation of the themes of the neighbors is not so well-founded.In this essay，the author will give you relatively comprehensive themes of this novel in three aspects： （1） The sufferings of the Jews，（2） The alienation and coldness of the society，（3） The persistence in looking for the identities.

【Key words】Singer； neighbors； themes

1.The plot of the short story

The novel neighbors is a Jewish novel，which expresses his Jewish felling.

Two poor and mysterious people are my neighbors； the one upstairs called Margit is a noble of complicated relationship with Hungarian aristocracy，and the one downstairs called Morris is a Yiddish writer continuously boasting the sexual relationship with several women.However，they never meet each other.One day，they both happen to come to my home to visit me.The first time they see each other，both of them show their prejudice.While，the next time I see them，they have married，and help each other.On the surface，it just a love story with sadness，however，a host of themes arise in this novel.

2.The sufferings of the Jews reflecting in illness

Morris，a poor Jew，lives at the bottom of society.He is a rootless Yiddish writer whose stories teemed with clichés.Besides，his styles are also not standard.He longs for，but fails to find，the meaning of life and happiness.He continuously boasts that he has sexual relationship with several women，While，actually he tells lies.He is a lonesome old bachelor with a sick heart and one kidney[1]（p40） He once had been engaged to the daughter of a Rabbi，but died of typhoid fever a weak before the wedding.Of all the mistresses，one is a widow，always laughs at his boasting，for he is always suffering from insomnia and has periods of impotence.Later，one winter，he is diagnosed diabetes.Morris is an old poor Jew who suffers from illness.

Margit lived in a single room as the boarder of an old maid and survived on the social security.She suffered from rheumatism and could barely walk； supporting herself on two canes.[2]（p40） Except the hardship of the life，illness almost kills this senior Jewish people.

3.The alienation and the coldness of the outside

Although Jewish people live all over the world，they were never accepted by the majorities where they live with.They were always regarded as the“outsiders”because of their religion and customs.neighbors are also victims.

Morris and Margit are lonely，and both of them have no friends.They regard me as their close companion.Just as Margit said，“I knew that you would come into my life.This will be my last great friendship.”The neighbors all turns an indifferent attitude towards Margit.Kindness can never be rewarded.When her tenant gives up her places，Margit has been totally thrown out the street.All the neighbors have treated her misfortune with indifference.Only Morris shows his humanity.Even nurse does not come when they are called and the sick does not get proper food.Morris says，“In what way are the doctors better than writers or theater director？ It is the same human species.” [4]（p48）Indeed，they are the same species，but they are not the same race！ From this，we can see that Margit is estranged from the community.

4.The persistence in looking for the identities

Jewish people scatter all over the world，but never have a felling at home.Just as Singer says，“ The radiator near which I sat hissed and hummed，‘dust ，dust，dust.The singsong penetrated my bones together with the warmth.It repeated the truth as old as the world，as sound as the sleep.”[6]It depicts an enduring truth that the Jewish people are just like the dust，small and weak .Fluttering in the air，they have nowhere to settle down.They try their best to survive in the world，persistent in looking for their identities.

Conclusion

As other novels，he is humorous when he depicts the behavior and language of the Jews.However，we can feel the deep sympathy of the author，the sufferings of the despairing old Jews and the alienation of the cold society.His humor teems with bitterness and sadness，which cause bleeding in our heart.They are persistent in looking for their shelters and identities.

References：

[1]Issac Bashevis Singer.Neighbors[M].

[2][3][4]ibid.

[5]辛格.辛格短篇小說集[M].楊絳譯.外國文學出版社，1980.

[6]趙琨.猶太文化的方舟—辛格小說創作主題模式的文化意蘊[J].外國文學評論，1997.

[7]羅伯特·M·塞爾茨.猶太的思想[M].趙立行，馮瑋譯，上海三聯書店，1994.