The Magic Barrel Characters

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The Magic Barrel Character List

Leo Finkle

Leo Finkle is the main character of the story, as well as the protagonist. Leo is a lonely man and consistently reads books for a living. Unmarried, he is not sure if he really wants to meet anyone, because he may not be able to adapt to their life as needed. However, he is convinced by Pinye Salzman to meet Lily Hirschorn, and the two get along just find. Showing the dynamic element of Leo's character, he becomes an active member of the community and starts believing in God.

Pinye Salzman

Pinye is a marriage broker and one of the few friends of Leo Finkle. Leo is the complete opposite of Pinye in almost every social aspect. However, Pinye is the one that gets Leo to give marriage a try, and connects him with Lily Hirschorn.

Lily Hirschorn

Lily is a kind woman that meets Leo through Pinye. Once the two get together, Lily tells Leo of her spiritual beliefs, and convinces him to become an active member of his community. With her help, Leo crawls out from under his shell and starts connecting with God, Lily, and the community.

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Study Guide for The Magic Barrel

The Magic Barrel study guide contains a biography of Bernard Malamud, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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Essays for The Magic Barrel

The Magic Barrel essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Magic Barrel by Bernard Malamud.

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