The Magic Barrel is a collection of short stories by Bernard Malamud, published in 1958. The book explores themes of identity, redemption, and the search for meaning. One of the central stories in the collection is also titled "The Magic Barrel." It follows the character of Leo Finkle, a rabbinical student who is seeking a wife. Leo is initially skeptical when he comes across an ad in the newspaper for a matchmaker who promises to find him a suitable partner. The matchmaker, Pinye Salzman, provides Leo with a literal barrel filled with names and photographs of potential brides.
The matchmaker, Pinye Salzman, provides Leo with a literal barrel filled with names and photographs of potential brides. As Leo sorts through the names, he becomes increasingly desperate and disheartened, as none of the women seem to meet his idealized expectations. However, Leo's perspective begins to shift when he encounters a woman named Stella, whom he dismisses at first due to her questionable reputation.
Bernard Malamud: The Magic Barrel
I have raved about Bernard Malamud’s novels here (well, one of them), but it never occurred to me to try his stories until I was on holiday and picked up a copy of this book in a second-hand bookshop in Kenmare, Co Kerry. Anyone who has been on holiday with an infant will know, in any event, that a book of stories averaging twelve pages apiece is the perfect occupation.
The Magic Barrel (1958) was Malamud’s first collection and contains stories which are, not to muck about, stunning. Together, they create a portrait of Jewish immigrant life in post-war America which, if not quite Dubliners, is coherent and complete.
Many elements recur in these stories: the characters are either penniless or heading there. The highest social station they can attain is to run their own small business: a store (as with his novel The Assistant), or a shoemender’s. Such is the role of Feld in ‘The First Seven Years’, who reacts with horror (“You are crazy. She will never marry a man as old and ugly as you”) when his assistant Sobel tells him that he wants to marry Feld’s daughter Miriam:
Then he realized that what he called ugly was not Sobel but Miriam’s life if she married him. He felt for his daughter a strange and gripping sorrow, as if she were already Sobel’s bride, the wife, after all, of a shoemaker, and had in her life no more than her mother had had. And all his dreams for her – why he had slaved and destroyed his heart with anxiety and labor – all these dreams of a better life were dead.
In ‘Angel Levine’, the small businessman is Manischevitz, a tailor, who has “suffered many reverses and indignities.” Like most of these characters, he is at the end of his rope. When an episode of divine intervention seems to relieve his backache for a few days, he is disappointed when it returns. “He had hoped for a longer interval of easement, long enough to have some thought other than of himself and his troubles.” He resents the pain not just because it is pain but for richer reasons too.
Who, after all, was Manischewitz that he had been given so much to suffer? A tailor. Certainly not a man of talent. Upon him suffering was largely wasted. It went nowhere, into nothing: into more suffering.
We might observe that, if Malamud is speaking from experience, either his own or that of his contemporaries, then the suffering did not go into nothing. Anyway these stories, for their grim detail, are not for a moment colourless. Malamud has black humour by the bucket and, linked to this, a mastery of insight into his characters’ worst impulses. In ‘The Girl of My Dreams’, a frustrated writer, Mitka, meets a woman with whom he has struck up a correspondence, and ends up more frustrated still. “The irony of it – immured for months in a rat hole, to come forth for this. He’d go back now and entomb himself forever.” How much lower can he go? “He was wondering, what after this? Where would he drag that dead cat, his soul?”
As well as recurring settings – I’m guessing too that Malamud spent time in Italy when young – there is a universal current of desire (or need) in the stories in The Magic Barrel. I remember, years ago, reading Kurt Vonnegut’s guidelines for story writing. The third was “Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.” This seemed to me laughably unsophisticated (though if these were rules by which Vonnegut wrote the stories in Welcome to the Monkey-House, I couldn’t much complain about the results). Well, to prove me wrong again, Malamud makes an art out of making his characters want something. Often this is, or appears to the character to be, selfless, something they want for others rather than themselves: Feld’s wishes for his daughter’s future in ‘The First Seven Years’; Rosen’s urgent desire to help a widow financially in the extraordinary ‘Take Pity’ (one of those stories where the last few lines make you recast everything that has gone before). A couple of times, in ‘Behold the Key’ and ‘The Magic Barrel’, the want runs so deep that Malamud gives us a comedy of multiple attempts to get something right: an apartment, a bride. But his characters are destined not to get things right, though Malamud’s compassionate eye means we feel nothing but sympathy for them.
So here is a chance encounter that thrilled me as much as any book this year. Great writing in capsule form, Malamud’s Magic Barrel is a bran tub of delights.
The Magic Barrel (1958) was Malamud’s first collection and contains stories which are, not to muck about, stunning. Together, they create a portrait of Jewish immigrant life in post-war America which, if not quite Dubliners, is coherent and complete.
Despite his reservations, he agrees to meet with her and is surprised to find himself attracted to her. Stella, too, is searching for redemption, as she regrets her past actions and longs to escape her current life. The two characters find solace and connection in their shared desire to change and find meaning in their lives. As Leo continues his search for a wife, he realizes that his rigid criteria may prevent him from finding true happiness. Throughout the story, Malamud explores the complexities of human relationships and the idea that redemption and transformation are possible. The magic barrel serves as a metaphor for the characters' search for personal fulfillment. Overall, "The Magic Barrel" is a thought-provoking story that delves into themes of identity, redemption, and the search for meaning. Through its exploration of characters' desires and the potential for change, the story prompts readers to consider their own relationships and quest for personal fulfillment..
Reviews for "Analyzing the Themes of Love and Desire in "The Magic Barrel"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I found "The Magic Barrel" to be a confusing and unengaging read. The storyline was muddled and lacked focus, with the characters feeling one-dimensional and uninspired. The pacing was also a letdown, as the narrative dragged on without any clear purpose or direction. Overall, I struggled to connect with the story and found it to be a disappointment.
2. Mark - 1 star
I really did not enjoy "The Magic Barrel" at all. The writing style was overly dense and pretentious, making it difficult to follow and appreciate the story. The characters felt superficial and lacked depth, leaving me uninterested in their fates. Additionally, the themes explored in the book failed to resonate with me, as they were presented in a convoluted and inaccessible manner. Overall, I found this book to be a tedious and unrewarding read.
3. Jessica - 2 stars
"The Magic Barrel" was a book that left me feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. The plot seemed disjointed and lacked a cohesive structure, making it difficult to fully engage with the story. The characters were unlikable and lacked development, leaving me uninterested in their struggles. While the writing was technically proficient, it failed to evoke any emotional response or connection with the reader. Overall, I found this book to be forgettable and unremarkable.
4. Ryan - 1 star
I had high hopes for "The Magic Barrel," but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The plot felt contrived and predictable, with no surprises or moments of genuine intrigue. The characters were cardboard cutouts, lacking depth or complexity. The writing style was also unremarkable, failing to capture my attention or evoke any strong emotions. Overall, I was left disappointed and unimpressed by this book.