Love and redemption - these are the

Love and redemption - these are the concerns of Bernard Malamud's masterpiece "The Magic Barrel." In this classic short story, a rabbinical student, who may or may not love God, meets an old-time matchmaker, stinking of fish, who may or may not have supernatural powers.
The Magic Barrel” explores many aspects of the theme of self-discovery: the awakening of passion and desire; the definition of identity; the search for love. As the story begins, Leo is emerging from years of study to embrace life’s dilemmas. He experiences the awakening of passion and desire with resistance and confusion; his search for a wife begins not out of desire for love or devotion but, Self discovery of Leo