Salzman
Salzman is the matchmaker in Bernard Malamud’s “The magic Barrel”, who helped Leo Finkle, a rabbinical student, to find a wife in other to win a congregation after graduation. Salzman taught Leo how to love others and himself. Salzman played a contradicting role by praying to redeem his daughter from Leo’s love because Leo is dead to love and he doesn’t want his daughter to fall in love with Leo, so he declared her dead.
Stella
Stella is the daughter of Pinye Salzman in Bernard Malamud’s “The magic Barrel”. The father declared her dead when Leo Finkle fell in love with her picture. Stella played the role of a black sheep of the family because the father seems to hate and love her at the same time for not complying with their tradition and at the same time, being the one who attracted Leo Finkle, the client his father considered dead internally, so he prayed she is delivered from Leo’s love. Stella also served as the solution to all Leo’s life problems as her picture triggered the sense of love in Leo’s hardened and insensitive heart.
Elka
Elka is the wife of Gimpel, in Issac Bashevis Singer’s “Gimpel the fool”. Elka is an adulterous, manipulative and insensitive wife who had a child just 17 weeks into their marriage. She treated her husband poorly and fooled him to her last breath before she confessed the children do not belong to him. Even after her death, Gimpel still loved her and she came as a savior and angel to redeem Gimpel when the devil advised him to feed the whole town with his urine.
Mrs. Ames
Mrs. Ames is the wife of the Astronomer in Kay Boyle’s “Astronomer’s wife”. Mrs. Katherine Ames invited a plumber to her house to fix a leaking tap but ended up following the plumber and flirting with him as if the plumber needs her assistance, until he took him down the earth where her husband never visited. Mrs. Ames’s lifestyle showed how some marriages can fall apart due to dissatisfaction or lack of attention. She also portrayed women as being unfaithful and looking to find happiness elsewhere if they cannot find it in their marriage. Mrs. Ames also revealed the part of a woman very interesting; they can change their mind as many times and quickly as they can. She switched swiftly from her proud name as Mrs. Ames, which she kept repeating in her mind right before meeting the plumber, to all of a sudden this wild woman who is letting down her hair and loosening her dress to attract the plumber.
Lengel
Lengel is the local store manager of A&P in John Updike’s “A&P”. He represents the policy and rules of A&P and he makes sure those rules are followed perfectly. He educated the girls in their swimsuit that the store is not the beach and they need to dress appropriately when visiting the store. Although, his actions might be considered unnecessary by other customers, other customers might be uncomfortable with half naked girls walking around in the store so they’ll be pleased he took a bold step to educate them on simple manners. He also informed Sammy very well of the consequences of quitting his job which Sammy and the parents desperately need to keep food on the table.
