Morris Bober

Character Analysis

A quietly tragic figure, Morris Bober emigrated to the United States from Russia, narrowly avoiding service in the military and death trying to escape. He is a Jew, a grocer, a husband, a father; and he is filled with regret.

Approaching old age, out of shape and in poor health, Morris runs a grocery store, tiny by today's standards. He has very few customers, and many of them in his Brooklyn neighborhood have stopped frequenting his place for a grocer around the corner with more selection and better deals. Even the tenants in his house above the store try to sneak by him.

As a result of poor sales, Morris hasn't been able to provide for his family as he would have liked. His wife Ida loves him but views him harshly. His daughter Helen has sacrificed college so she can work to bring extra money into the household. His son Ephraim died years ago from a sickness that nowadays can be cured. He suffers and sees no rhyme or reason for much of it.

A Follower of the Law

Being kosher isn't important to Morris, but he's adamant about the Torah's command to do right by others. He regularly shows mercy and compassion and kindness, treating people as worthy of his time and attention. As a man who suffers greatly, he doesn't like to be the cause of pain in others:

It wasn't the first time he had lost milk and rolls in this neighborhood. That had happened more than once—usually some poor person stealing a breakfast. For this reason Morris preferred not to call the police but to get rid of the thief by himself. (2.4.13)

When he first suspects that Frank is stealing from the register, he blames himself for paying him so little and decides to give him a raise (5.5.24). Talk about kindhearted—maybe he's a little too nice.

Morris is far from morally perfect, however. He keeps the raise hidden from Ida, and sometimes, if rarely, will lie to her in order to avoid an argument (1.1.11). He catches himself wishing ill on others, particularly those who've had better luck than he has. And when he hits rock bottom, he contemplates and sets out to cause a fire in his store so he can claim the insurance money.

He's also stubborn. Morris delights in shoveling snow and brave the cold and wind, with or without a coat. Sadly, this kills him. Against the cautions of his wife, he goes out into the snow less than bundled up. He catches pneumonia and is dead within a few days.

An Honest Man

Morris takes pride in his honesty, and most of the time he's really honest, even when it can bring him pain. When a prospective buyer of the store comes to see him, Morris can't pretend that business is booming. He levels with the guy, to the indignation of his wife:

Overwhelmed by pity for the poor refugee, at what he had in all probability lived through, a man who had sweated blood to save a few brutal dollars, Morris, unable to stand the planned dishonesty, came from behind the counter, and taking Podolsky by the coat lapels, told him earnestly that the store was rundown but that a boy with his health and strength, with modern methods and a little cash, could build it up in a reasonable time and make a decent living out of it. (8.4.5)

Suffering without End

Morris has suffered throughout his life, and not always unwillingly. Out of kindness, he helps others knowing that he'll pay a price. He extends credit to impoverished customers and forgives their debts. He employs Frank knowing he'll be another mouth to feed. Midway through the story, Morris and Frank discuss the suffering of the Jews. Morris says:

If you live, you suffer. Some people suffer more, but not because they want. But I think if a Jew don't suffer for the Law, he will suffer for nothing. (5.4.18)

In Morris's mind, people suffer for each other. He suffers for Frank; Frank suffers for him. Morris hasn't developed a systematic theology about this. For him, it's more of a principle he's acquired from the Torah. He wants to be a good Jew and a good man, to be honest and kind to others, and this will mean that he suffers.

It's this conversation with Frank that perhaps first inclines the Italian gentile to become a Jew. Morris's words and example elicit a change in Frank, prompting him to rethink his ideas about Jews and to recognize that he never really understood them. "Happens like this many times," Morris says (5.4.32).