Mordecai Richler. Duddy Kravitz Apprenticeship Essay

Mordecai Richler. Duddy Kravitz Apprenticeship - Essay Example In the whole novel we see Duddy as an ambitious but greedy person who holds no value for love and friendship and considers wealth as his ultimate goal. The major theme that runs in the story is the power of negative ambition, greed and materialism which overpowers pure emotions like love, decency and affection. From the start of the story we see that the family of Duddy plays an important role in taking Duddy’s ambition to a dangerous level. His grandfather advises him that "A man without land is nobody.† His father repeatedly tells him story of a young man who progressed from rags and riches by cheating people on his way. And then he sees his uncle who is extremely rich and successful and it burns a desire in Duddy’s heart to become wealthy. Duddy, in his greed and ambition fails to value relationships and we see him as a man who cheats on her girlfriend even though she loves him truly. Duddy also mistreats his long-time friend, Virgil and even cheats him out of his money when he is confined to his bed due to paralysis.