My Name is Asher Lev

by

Chaim Potok

Uncle Yaakov is Rivkeh’s older brother. He does not appear directly in the story, but his death in a car accident when Asher is six is devastating to Rivkeh, to whom he was a paternal figure. He was a gentle, scholarly man whose catchphrase was, “What’s new in the world?” After his death, Rivkeh sometimes adopts his mannerisms or appeals to him in moments of distress.

Uncle Yaakov Quotes in My Name is Asher Lev

The My Name is Asher Lev quotes below are all either spoken by Uncle Yaakov or refer to Uncle Yaakov. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Divine vs. the Demonic Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

“Asher, are you drawing pretty things? Are you drawing sweet, pretty things?”

I was not drawing pretty things. I was drawing twisted shapes, swirling forms, in blacks and reds and grays. I did not respond.

“Asher, are you drawing birds and flowers and pretty things?”

“I can draw you birds and flowers, Mama.”

“You should draw pretty things, Asher.”

“Shall I draw you a bird, Mama?”

“You should make the world pretty, Asher. Make it sweet and pretty. It’s nice to live in a pretty world.”

Related Characters: Asher Lev (speaker), Rivkeh Lev (speaker), Uncle Yaakov
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

Trapped between two realms of meaning, she had straddled both realms, quietly feeding and nourishing them both, and herself as well. I could only dimly perceive such an awesome act of will. But I could begin to feel her torment now as she waited by our living-room window for both her husband and her son. What did she think of as she stood by the window? Of the phone call that had informed my father of her brother’s death? Would she wait now in dread all the rest of her life, now for me, now for my father, now for us both—as she had once waited for me to return from a museum, as she had once waited for my father to return in a snowstorm? And I could understand her torment now; I could see her waiting endlessly with the fear that someone she loved would be brought to her dead. I could feel her anguish.

Related Characters: Asher Lev (speaker), Aryeh Lev, Rivkeh Lev, Uncle Yaakov
Related Symbols: Window
Page Number: 325
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire My Name is Asher Lev LitChart as a printable PDF.
My Name is Asher Lev PDF

Uncle Yaakov Quotes in My Name is Asher Lev

The My Name is Asher Lev quotes below are all either spoken by Uncle Yaakov or refer to Uncle Yaakov. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Divine vs. the Demonic Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

“Asher, are you drawing pretty things? Are you drawing sweet, pretty things?”

I was not drawing pretty things. I was drawing twisted shapes, swirling forms, in blacks and reds and grays. I did not respond.

“Asher, are you drawing birds and flowers and pretty things?”

“I can draw you birds and flowers, Mama.”

“You should draw pretty things, Asher.”

“Shall I draw you a bird, Mama?”

“You should make the world pretty, Asher. Make it sweet and pretty. It’s nice to live in a pretty world.”

Related Characters: Asher Lev (speaker), Rivkeh Lev (speaker), Uncle Yaakov
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

Trapped between two realms of meaning, she had straddled both realms, quietly feeding and nourishing them both, and herself as well. I could only dimly perceive such an awesome act of will. But I could begin to feel her torment now as she waited by our living-room window for both her husband and her son. What did she think of as she stood by the window? Of the phone call that had informed my father of her brother’s death? Would she wait now in dread all the rest of her life, now for me, now for my father, now for us both—as she had once waited for me to return from a museum, as she had once waited for my father to return in a snowstorm? And I could understand her torment now; I could see her waiting endlessly with the fear that someone she loved would be brought to her dead. I could feel her anguish.

Related Characters: Asher Lev (speaker), Aryeh Lev, Rivkeh Lev, Uncle Yaakov
Related Symbols: Window
Page Number: 325
Explanation and Analysis: