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The World Without You


"Heart-searing, eye-tearing, and soul-touching." - The Huffington Post
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Amram and Noelle, in contrast, struggle professionally. How does this affect their relationship with the rest of the family and their high-powered jobs?

Created: 12/28/12

Replies: 4

Posted Dec. 28, 2012 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert

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Amram and Noelle, in contrast, struggle professionally. How does this affect their relationship with the rest of the family and their high-powered jobs?

There are some very high-powered people in this novel: Nathaniel has two PhDs, Lily clerked on the Supreme Court and Marilyn is a successful doctor. Amram and Noelle, in contrast, struggle professionally. How does this affect their relationship with the rest of the family?


Posted Jan. 04, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cynthiaa

Join Date: 04/14/11

Posts: 112

RE: Amram and Noelle, in contrast, struggle professionally. How does this affect their relationship with the rest of the family and their high-powered jobs?

When the family is all together in the US it seems as if they struggle more than they actually do when they are home in their own environment. I think Noelle thinks she is living a better life because she is living according to Jewish tradition and the others don't.


Posted Jan. 06, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
eileenp

Join Date: 10/20/10

Posts: 33

RE: Amram and Noelle, in contrast, struggle professionally. How does this affect their relationship with the rest of the family and their high-powered jobs?

Noelle and Amram are extremely defensive about their choices. Amram's need to be right ALL THE TIME comes partly, I think, because he doesn't feel like he is as good as Nathaniel (in particular) or the rest of the family (in general). What is interesting to me is that the rest of the family is doing what they are doing because they like what they are doing. (And when it stops being something they like doing, they stop doing it--Clarissa and the cello, for instance.) It strikes me that neither Noelle nor Amram have found their true professional calling, but they are so conscious of how others look at them (or how they think the others look at them), that they can't look for it.


Posted Jan. 08, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
lisag

Join Date: 01/12/12

Posts: 298

RE: Amram and Noelle, in contrast, struggle professionally. How does this affect their relationship with the rest of the family and their high-powered jobs?

Amram and Noelle were partially reliant on Noelle's parents for money. I seem to recall they accepted the occasional gift of money and that must have stung for Amram, especially, as proud as he was.


Posted Jan. 20, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
bettyt

Join Date: 05/12/11

Posts: 228

RE: Amram and Noelle, in contrast, struggle professionally. How does this affect their relationship with the rest of the family and their high-powered jobs?

I think that Noelle and Amran compare themselves to the rest of her family and find themselves lacking. Therefore, they tend to be defensive of their lifestyle. The rest of the family is more self-confident and do not need to do this comparing. Noelle does not consider the fact that she had the courage to move on her own to another country and start a life there. Life in Israel isn't easy.


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