Is this story Gitelle's or Isaac's

Gitelle is the main character in the prologue, but as the novel continues, Isaac becomes the focus. How does Gitelle, Isaac's mother, maintain a central role? Is this story hers or Isaac's?

I think its Isaac's, though Gitelle's story is certainly a part of Isaac's. Isaac is most definitely a lion seeker

I believe it is Isaac's story, though it is hard to separate Isaac from Gitelle throughout the story. He does very little without her in mind. Because of her he makes good choices and because of her - or what he things he knows of her - he makes grievous errors in judgement. Isaac, with a different mother, would have been an entirely different person. But because she was such a strong, driven person, her influence on him was enormous.

The story is Isaac's but would not have existed without Gitelle. She was not only his mother she was the most influential person in his life for good and bad.

I feel it's BOTH their stories. These two are so entwinded a story wouldn't essentially exist with BOTH.

I think it is at is core Gitelle's story. Isaac is an extension of her, and his life story the result of her history, her past choices, and even her current life circumstances. I think it is (to one extent or another) probably true with most young men, so molded by the upbringing, ideas, customs, fears and training of their mother. The constant, 'Are you a Clever? or are you a Stupid' question that permeates Isaac's life and thinking is his mother's voice, the driving force.
It makes me realize just how much my mother-in-law has affected my hubby, and wonder how much my 'voice' continues to ring in my sons' ears!

I think this is sort of both Gitelle and Isaac's story because they were so closely attached that both took many actions that were for the benefit of the other. Gitelle was a product of all of the rather awful things that happened to her and as a mother was over protective and over ambitious for Isaac in an attempt to give him a better life as does every mother in history for the most part. Isaac, tried to live up to her expectations and to please himself but was continuously hit by failures and problems in his pursuit of wealth and as is so true of many used some questionable shortcuts that cost him dearly. Two people striving mightily for a better life and hitting many obstacles along the way.

This is the story of the life of Isaac from a redheaded hooligan, high school dropout on the streets of Johannesburg to a young semi polished man on the make. His mother had great influence in his life with her ambitions; she is the force that drove him and the choices he made. His success however was bought at a painful cost to his parents.

I might have liked to hear more of Gitelle's story, through flashbacks or her own spoken memories.

Without Gitelle's story, Isaac's story would not exist. The two lives and their worlds are intertwined. How agonizing were the events in both their lives--so much pain and heartache. Being "Clever" does not always result in success and happiness.

I agree with so many of the other readers and posters who believe the story is primarily Isaac's. Yes, Isaac's mother is a major, actually THE major influence in his life, but the story is his.

I have to agree that this is Isaac's story with a great influence by Gitelle. We do find out generally what happened to Gitelle, but we are inside Isaac's head and hold our own heads as he makes mistakes and questionable decisions throughout his young life. It is almost a coming of age story, but on a greater level than just coming out of adolescence. It is a human being learning to live with himself and others, and to accept forgiveness from others.

I think this is Isaac's story, but I also think that his mother and her family are crucial to his psyche. South Africa is also a strong character in the story. Isaac is shaped by the culture he is a part of and his mother.

The story is Isaac's, but he was shaped and molded by Gitelle. Again, I think there is so much more to this novel then the actual story. Gitelle was almost a puppeteer.

I think it's Isaac's story, but the story would be very different if Gitelle wasn't involved. Her role was instrumental to his.

We are all the products of our environment and are greatly influenced by our upbringing. Giselle was greatly influential in isaac's life but this was definitely his story

Like others, I believe this is Isaac's story, in part because Bonert's family members were Lithuanian Jews who immigrated to Africa, and because Bonert, like Isaac, experienced Africa in his youth. Thus, it seemed somewhat autobiographical in nature; a retelling of his grandmother's stories.

I think it is Isaac's story. Gitelle has experienced so much that has molded her into what she is before we even meet her. Isaac, however, developed into what he became in the pages we read.

I think that Gitelle uses her son like a puppet, the story is theirs.

In the end, it's Isaac's story, but his story is closely intertwined with Gitelle's (as the author notes in his interview). Their stories intersect so completely that Isaac's story is very dependent on Gitelle's and would be very different if she were different or absent.

Isaac is the central character, but we come to know Isaac through his relationships with the other characters, first and foremost Gitelle, but also Abel, Hugo, Yvonne, Silas, Avrom and Meyer. The interactions between and among these strong, distinct and interesting personalities provide to the reader insight into the essence of each figure and into the world and times in which they lived.