The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
By: Mordecai Richler
Duddy Kravitz was a funny fellow and the book was centered around him so naturally, the book would be funny. I was pleased with how the author expressed the humors side of a Jewish community in the heart of Montreal. I felt that the author, Mordecai Richler, was sometimes almost too descriptive in the words that he choose to make a point. This was in some cases funny but in others it just made the book almost a let down to the Jewish faith. But other then a few minute details, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, was a very funny, well written, and all around Canadian book.
The book is set around the 1950's when there was lots of land available for sale and there wasn't a whole lot of money around. Money was worth a lot back then and lake front property was for sale under the five thousand dollar range. Today land is much more expensive. The story was set in Montreal and surrounding area which was undeveloped and natural. The school, coffee shop, butchers shop, hotel, and Duddy's apartment were all meeting places where the characters meet and conducted business. Much of the business that took place was done with out paper work unlike today where everything has to be in writing or it has no value.
Mordecai Richler seems as though he nows the setting in the story very well almost as he had lived there once. The setting maims one of Duddy's workers when he ran of the road when there was a lot of snow on the roads. Duddy want's land far away from his home so he doesn't like the home that he grew up in. His memories of school haunt him wherever he goes in Montreal. Duddy loves a certain lake and tries to buy the whole lake and he is driven by his passion for land. His grandfather told him "A man without land is nobody" so Duddy had to get land to please his grandpa.
Timothy Houghton
Gr.10
Mr. Murry
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