Gimpel the Fool

In Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story "Gimpel the Fool," the character of the title has been given the nickname of fool by the people in his village because of his naivety. When someone tells him a lie, he believes them and does not doubt that what they say is the very truth, no matter how many times he has been deceived in the past. In general, the majority of the townspeople enjoy mocking Gimpel, lying to him, and making him seem the foolish man of his adjectival nickname. The question then becomes whether or not Gimpel is truly a fool which, the answer to which, the writer makes it clear is no. Gimpel himself is not a fool, but he is surrounded by them and only be allowing them call him a fool and use him for their own amusement does Gimpel prove that he is truly...
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