Jewish Culture
The entire novel’s narrative is colored primarily by the Jewish culture because it is told through a Jewish character and his interactions with his community.This is the most pervasive image in the novel and in many cases it serves not just as the backdrop in which the narrative unfolds but also as a plot device and as a thought framework by which many of the primary characters operate in.
Strained Family Ties/Relationships
Nearly as ubiquitous as images of Jewish culture are the images of strained relationships. This is another major plot driver in Duddy’s narrative as he struggles to achieve his goals of financial stability. In his mania for wealth he sacrifices everything, his humanity, dignity, and tragically his relationships. His relationship with his brother, Lennie, is worn when he asks him to do an abortion that could have caused his brother to lose his medical license.His relationship with his Uncle Benjy, Yvette, and later on even his revered grandfather would be taxed to the point of breaking, because of all the swindling and greed that marks his dealings.
Shady Business Dealings/Betrayals
All of Duddy’s so-called “business dealings” are swindles, each one of them intended to enrich him by having someone else get the short end of the stick. His narrative is rife with all sorts of underhanded deals, bait-and-switch routines, and contractual violations that would sicken most any honest entrepreneur; sadly however, this is necessary as these images of cheating and betrayals are very tightly woven into the narrative of his pursuit of money—the seeming core impetus of his existence.
Class Divides
The novel is full of descriptions of the class divide, the proverbial distance between the haves and the have-nots. The titular character hails from the poor Jewish ghetto of St. Urbain where the rags-to-riches tale of the ne’er-do-well Jerry Dingleman are told almost as inspirational stories rather than cautionary tales. Even the sage advise that Simcha Kravitz gives Duddy is the result of the pervasive reality that money—to a certain extent at least—buys respect and even a modicum of loyalty. Uncle Benjy, is the wealthy Kravitz and rather than help the poorer Kravitz kids by regarding them equally takes a shine only to Lennie because of his medical aspirations but looks down on Duddy because he regards him as a lowlife swindler who thinks of little else other than making a buck—a matter that one can hardly blame on him given that he doesn’t have much to his name.
