As I stated in my previous post, I really enjoyed Joann Sfar's The Rabbi's Cat. There is one aspect of the story that is really bugging me though. What is the deal with Malka? His appearance is glorified over all of the others, he is portrayed so brilliantly and with such a towering presence. He comes across as a blue-eyed giant, who although very friendly, always seems to have a sinister look in his eyes. Or is it the fact that he is walking around with the "king of the jungle" that is distorting my impression? I realize that he is supposed to be some kind of famous musician and as an entertainer it is reasonable that he would have a more outrageous appearance, but it isn't just his looks that makes me so curious.
What really stumps me, is why Malka has such power over his cousin, the rabbi. In fact, when the rabbi returns from his journey to visit the grave of an ancestor and discovers that a new young rabbi from Paris is going to be taking the rabbi's daughter as a wife, the reader is led to believe that the rabbi might not allow the marriage to take place. He certainly doesn't appear to be thrilled with the idea. That is, until Malka threatens to "tear the place apart" if he does not immediately give his daughter his blessing. The rabbi walks to let his daughter know she has his blessing and he is slumped over and looking defeated. How does this cousin Malka have any right to tell the rabbi what to do? In fact, why does Malka even care so much. Why is this marriage so important to him that he would threaten to tear apart the home of his own cousin, a rabbi!?!? And more importantly why does the rabbi listen? Don't get me wrong, I loved the story, but I just don't understand who this Malka is and what his character and the character's actions are supposed to mean.
That's a pretty interesting point. I never really thought about Malka having any particular interest in the marriage issue I just foudn the Rabbi lazy or generally difficult to work with. If his daughter doesn't marry, then she would stay in her father's house for...forever? I think Malka thought marriage was the only way to get the Rabbi's daughter out of the house. Which makes sense. I can't imagine any selfish reasons as to why Malka would push the marriage....unless someone else had thought of something....
ReplyDeleteI can't help but think that Malka is some sort of allegory for Samson. The reason I think this is based on how he is depicted biblically and how is drawn in The Rabbi's Cat. There is also some very interesting similiarities between Samson and Malka. Firstly, God sends a lion to test Samson and he defeats (and kills) it with his bare hands. Secondly Samson, despire rebuke from his father, wishes to marry a girl from Philistine. He ends up doing so. What I find more interesting is that the book actualy points out the similiarities between arabs and Jews (common ancestry) however Samson is used (biblically) to destory some Philistines who worship other Gods. God does give Samson the strength once again to destory those who do not worship him. So I wonder what the author is really saying. Are they similar or different? Is he praising similiarities while at the same time bringing differences to a delicate light. In any case there is an undertone I can't ignore and this is the connection between Jews and Philistines in the book. Political maybe?
ReplyDeleteMalka was a very interesting character....I think his presence was in part there to represent the outside influences that effected the rabbi...He is definitely one of the stranger characters in the story. It would be pretty cool to see more of a background story on him.
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