Analysis of the Daniel Lewin Character from The Book of Daniel by Doctorow - Essay Example

This work vividly portrays the cruelty of the regime and the hardship faced by many Soviet immigrants during the cold war. Doctorow depicts that society is blind toward other people who differ from the crowd. He portrays that when the actions of one character begin to affect another person, society has moved from personal morals to social morals which set limits on human behavior. 

Daniel Lewin is the main character who tries to find the truth about his parent's execution for 'stealing' technology secrets for Russia. These events took place many years ago, but they are still important for Daniel who cannot overcome grief and depression. Doctorow depicts that Daniel has a happy family, a son, a beloved sister Susan, a good job, and opportunities, but he cannot bear the death of his parents. Daniel's quest is a search for truth and the good name of his family accused of espionage.

"Daniel," writes: "If justice cannot be made to operate under the worst possible conditions of social hysteria, what does it matter how it operates at other times" (Doctorow 1996, 56)Through the characters of Daniel Lewin Doctorow unveils such important life stages as the process of becoming an 'adult' and the new perception of self. Even though Daniel is a mature person, he is bound by memories and deeply emotional experiences. Doctorow describes that history and its examples become an important moral guide for Daniel to overcome life troubles and depression.

In general, the author's emotions are mixed about moving beyond adolescence, because this new life stage deprives everyone of his ingenuousness. The life experience of a particular person is subjected to historical events and political situations which have a direct impact on his personality.

To some extent, the search for meaning is a form of perspective of contemporary norms, beginning from the premise that a saintliness is a form of freedom. Freedom and the discourses of rationality are very close things. Daniel's quest can be defined as a struggle against exile. On an even larger scale, the novel can be looked upon as a sacrifice for personal choice and freedom in society (or the absence of it). "TREASON is the only crime defined in the Constitution" (Doctorow 1996, 167). The Constitution plays a crucial role in the life of every person, but through the character of Daniel, Doctorow shows that very often people forget about justice and morality influenced by political speculations and manipulations of the government.

Daniel's quest symbolizes the search for God, trust, and betrayal. The social morals of the Americans are reflected in problems of individual choice and social injustice. The author vividly portrays that values and beliefs have dominated society ruling the social opinion and behavior of people. Also, Doctorow, without a scorching rebuke selects such crimes and invests them with all the fascination of genius, and all the charms of a high style. Now there surfaced the long interior conflict between natural respect for the past and his equal abhorrence of political cruelty.

Similar to biblical Daniel, Daniel Lewin's quest can be explained as a search for 'self' and social justice the protagonist has been deprived of yearly years. Doctorow depicts that it is wrong for society to follow blindly political traditions which cause sufferings to innocent people.