Crucifixion represents the tension between religion and art for the novel’s characters, as it takes on two levels of meaning. On a religious and historical level, the crucifixion has offensive connotations of the historical persecution of Jews by Christians; it’s also inherently blasphemous from a Jewish perspective. On an artistic level, however, Asher uses the crucifixion to symbolize maternal anguish, drawing on elements of Renaissance art and picturing his mother, Rivkeh, on a cruciform shape in his Brooklyn Crucifixion paintings. Though Asher does not intend a primarily religious meaning, the adoption of the religious form is an obstacle to his family and community’s ability to accept his artistic meaning. The collision of these two sets of meanings in Asher’s paintings symbolizes the ongoing conflict he feels between his Jewish roots and his artistic pursuits, and comes to represent his inability to integrate the two, as the offensive nature of Brooklyn Crucifixion results in Asher’s exile from his Ladover community.
Crucifixion Quotes in My Name is Asher Lev
I am an observant Jew. Yes, of course, observant Jews do not paint crucifixions. As a matter of fact, observant Jews do not paint at all—in the way that I am painting. So strong words are being written and spoken about me, myths are being generated: I am a traitor, an apostate, a self-hater, an inflicter of shame upon my family, my friends, my people; also, I am a mocker of ideas sacred to Christians, a blasphemous manipulator of modes and forms revered by Gentiles for two thousand years.
Well, I am none of those things. And yet, in all honesty, I confess that my accusers are not altogether wrong: I am indeed, in some way, all of those things.
“I understand,” he kept saying. “Jacob Kahn once explained it to me in connection with sculpture. I understand.” Then he said, “I do not hold with those who believe that all painting and sculpture is from the sitra achra. I believe such gifts are from the Master of the Universe. But they have to be used wisely, Asher. What you have done has caused harm. People are angry. They ask questions, and I have no answer to give them that they will understand. Your naked women were a great difficulty for me, Asher. But this is an impossibility.” He was silent for a long moment. I could see his dark eyes in the shadow cast by the brim of his hat. Then he said, “I will ask you not to continue living here, Asher Lev. I will ask you to go away.”
Crucifixion Symbol Timeline in My Name is Asher Lev
