The Fixes Thematic Essay

True Freedom Lies in our Thoughts   A secondary theme that Bernard Malamud promotes in his novel The Fixeris man’s unjust suffering. Society often looks for a “scapegoat”, or someone who will carry the cross for all, in order to resolve an issue that would otherwise require the punishment of a large group of people. Unfortunately for Yakov, because of his Jewish background, society chooses him as a scapegoatto carry the burden of a number of people responsible for the murder of a young boy. In the end of the novel, we see how effective this method was and it’s results.   Yakov’s adventure begins in his home town. His wife Raisl has just left him for a gentile, a very dishonorable thing to do, and he is preparing to leave his home town and go out into the world, in search for a better life. As Yakov converses with his father in law, Shmuel, the reader can see how rebellious and open minded he reallyis. Yakov almost blasphemes about the Jewish faith and it is very clear that he does not want to keep the Jewish religion and customs into which he was born. As he makes his way out of town, bad luck seems to follow Yakov. This symbolized the even worse things that were to come. It was as if an invisible hand was trying to stop Yakov from going any further, but on he went.   After finishing the job he got from Nicolai and receiving 40 rubbles, Yakov promises himself that he will leave and forget all of this, but Nicolai offers him another, even better job. He wants to put Yakov in charge of his brick factory, making sure that no one is stealing from Nicolai. Yakov realizes that this is an extreme risk because it means living in a forbidden area and further hiding the fact that he is a Jew. But after giving it some thought, Yakov accepts.   After this, Yakov is doing very well for himself, especially compared to his condition back in his home town. No one seems to suspect him as being a Jew, and he is making a lot of money. The only problem he has is that the foreman at the...