Foiglman by Aharon Megged

1. What is the basis of the relationship between the historian Zvi Arbel and the poet, Shmuel Foiglman? Is it merely Foiglman's flattery of Arbel?

2. To a great extent, Yiddish and Hebrew are opposed in the novel - what qualities are attributed to each language?

3. Nora takes an instant dislike to Shmuel Foiglman. What kind of Israel-Diaspora relations do you think their antipathy represents?

4. Why does Zvi help Foiglman? And in what ways does he help him?

5. What personal factors might explain Zvi Arbel's fascination with Yiddish and with Jewish history?

6. What was Nora's reaction to her husband Zvi's enthusiastic espousal of Shmuel Foiglman's cause? What methods does she use to voice her protest?

7. List anything striking about the flamboyant, theatrically-mannered Foiglman - what details do you recall from the author's descriptions? What are some of the gifts he brings Zvi and Nora? What are his physical characteristics?

8. At a certain point in the book, it is clear that Zvi and Nora are set on a collision course with tragedy, and that their marriage is doomed. Where would you locate that turning point? Could the tragedy have been avoided?

9. What role does money play in the book?

10. In what way does Zvi encourage Foiglman, giving him hope that he will make his name for himself as a Yiddish poet in Israel?

11. What was Nora's ultimatum to Zvi? Why was it not effective?

12. Zvi Arbel had an ambiguous relation to his father, as he does to his own sabra son. Describe his difficulties with each.

13. Who are the characters that respectively represent: a) Jewish history, b) archaeology, c) nature and love of the land.

14. With the deaths of both Nora and Foiglman, the novel ends in almost unremitting gloom- yet there is a ray of hope. What do you think that is?