The basic idea is this: Morris (a Jew) owns a shitty little grocery but it mostly pays the bills. He's eking out a living for his family until he gets held up. Then this random bum, Frank, shows up and turns the store around. Frank loves Morris' daughter, Helen. A lot. Like a lot, a lot.

As a rule, I love to see people try. I think it may be because I'm such a goal-oriented person. I love to see how other people make things happen, or turn things around, or how things get set into motion. I love to see the dominoes fall.

The Assistant was a heartbreaking display of such ideas. From the honest, though not particularly business-savvy grocer, Morris to the, let's say dynamic Frank Alpine to the collegiate hopeful Helen, I loved the characters. Frank Alpine reminded me a lot of Jules in Pulp Fiction, "And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd." The closer I got to the end of the story, the more frequently I found myself wiping my eyes. It's cliche but really: why do bad things happen to good people? And how can one prove one has changed for the better? Who do we need to prove it to, outside of ourselves? And as far as charity and goodwill, if we extol our virtuous acts, it's not really charity.

Well-told, it's a story about timing: knowing when to act and when to hold back. There's also an overwhelming sense of trial and suffering: keep it together, this too shall pass. The weight of one's conscience is also examined. I also loved the familial theme and what the book had to say on the larger idea of community. I would definitely read other works by Bernard Malamud. Loved it.