Essay Questions

What is being alluded to in the novel’s title?

The titular Duddy Kravitz receives business advice from his grandfather that makes an immense impact upon him; so much so that all of his future business decisions are shaped by it. This bit of advice prompts him to take on four jobs as soon as he is able to apply for legal employment and becomes the embodiment of the penny-pinching Jew in his single-minded pursuit of amassing enough money to purchase a parcel of land. The advice he receives and how it shapes his future is what is being alluded to as his “apprenticeship” in the novel.

What does “land” symbolize in the novel?

Although Duddy’s grandfather was talking specifically about actual, physical real estate, “land” also came to mean the financial capital and the ability to actually purchase, maintain, and develop the parcel of land once it was owned. In short, to Duddy, land was more than just a plot of earth, it meant the financial capacity that will enable him to buy both his needs and his wants—and by extension—to buy the respect and admiration of peers and rivals.

How is the theme of racism—more specifically, antisemitic sentiments—tackled in the novel?

The theme of antisemitism is discussed through Duddy and his interactions with the other characters in the novel, most especially Irwin Shubert. Irwin is particularly vocal about his objections of Duddy’s questionable business practices and general avarice, going as far as to say that Duddy’s practices are actually helping to perpetuate antisemitic sentiments by living up to negative stereotypes of the Jewish business owner. In short, even if Duddy would have been an excellent role model for would-be entrepreneurs everywhere because of his tenacity and willingness to work long and hard, these characteristics actually work against him—and by extension the race he unwittingly represents—because of his tendency to make use of ethically questionable practices in order to achieve his financial objectives.