Gimpel the Fool

In his short story "Gimpel the Fool," Isaac Beshevis Singer uses the character of Gimpel to demonstrate a spiritual awareness that stems from contentment, rather than intellect. In the story, Gimpel elucidates a Kabbalistic awareness of reality which guides him through life even when everyone around him is dishonest and ill-intentioned, and after nearly every instance of Gimpel dealing with a problem, he grants a small proverb or summation of the particular spiritual wisdom which carried him through the resolution or avoidance of that problem. Although Gimpel the Fool is not nearly as foolish as his neighbors believe, he does have overly simplified thought processes, but the story shows that rather than constraining Gimpel and his happiness through imbecilic mishaps or mistakes, instead Gimpel's simplified thought patterns endow him with a transcendent peace which allows Gimpel to carry on through the various minor injustices done to him....
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