‘A man without land is nothing.’ Though the passage I have selected is short, I believe it is the most obvious indication to the main theme of the book, as well as a common goal for not only Duddy Kravitz, but countless others, fictitious and not. I could have chosen a longer quotation from the book, but I felt that this phrase clearly communicates to the reader that the ‘American Dream’ has been a preoccupation with Duddy since he was very young. Duddy’s grandfather acted as a prominent father figure to him during his early childhood, when his father could not always be there for him, and as a result of always having him around while Duddy was so young and impressionable, he had a lot of influence on Duddy’s developing mind. Coming from someone in such a position at that point in Duddy’s life, a statement like ‘a man without land is nothing’, has a particularly strong effect.
The words themselves are very blunt and closed to interpretation. He wasn’t simply telling him it would be nice to own property, his grandfather was telling him he will never have amounted to anything in his eyes, unless he owns land. A message that strong coming from a figure with so much influence on a boy like Duddy can have a very monumental impression. It is clear that Duddy did, in fact, take these words to heart, as he is constantly involved in get-rich-quick schemes, starting when he is still in school.
This preoccupation would eventually be Duddy’s downfall. Though The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz was written years ago, the idea of materialism, and measuring one’s success by their possessions is also a prominent theme in pop culture in the West. Luxurious and excessive lifestyles are in, perpetuated by ‘blinded out’ rap artists and rock stars who own multiple houses, and drive unnecessarily large and expensive sport utility vehicles and sports cars. Pop music has evolved throughout the 20 th Century, and has now gotten to a point where it’s not just music, but an industry.
The Term Paper on Mordecai Richler’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
... nightclubs and Simcha's declaration that "a man without land is nobody" urge Duddy to pattern his life after his hero, the Boy ... closeness to the legendary character of St. Urbaine. When Duddy buys all the land he wants, Max relays the tale of his ... to toil under harsh conditions and, by telling Duddy that "a man without land is nobody," and not explaining fully to the ...
Singers are actors and vice versa. To make it big in the music industry you not only have to have talent, but a strong business sense, and your own clothing line, of course. Making this connection between the material preoccupations of Duddy and today’s youth, can one for see where popular culture is headed? Will our obsession with luxury and money blind us from what is really important, until it is too late? Whether the West meets the same end as Duddy or not is yet to be seen, and Richer, whether making an intentional social commentary or not, shows in an effectively satirical manner that there is more to being something than merely owning land. Sources:’ The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz’ by M Ritchler.
