He is shown to have respect for elders by listening to them and practically obeying them. Gimple never has friends who influence him to be bad.
The worst trick that the townspeople do to him is getting him to the marry Elka. Elka was the town's slut. She already has a child that she says is her brother. Gimpel, being so innocent, believes every word that she says (97). Then Gimpel marries Elka without knowing all her real story. This incident shows that Gimpel is a man of strength and character. His strength is in asking the bare truth and expressing his doubts to a woman he is going to marry. His strength is not to press woman if she is not ready to discuss her past or her private life. His character is to accept the so called help provided by town folks who arrange a lump sum for his marriage and arrange the possession at the cemetery gates, near the little corpse washing hut(98).This shows his gratitude to the shrewd town folks who never understand how pure Gimpel is in the heart.
Gimpel's marriage reflects just how good he is. When they start living together Elka does not allow Gimpel to use the same bed with her. After four month, Elka appears with another baby. She tells Gimpel that the baby was premature. Then Gimpel tells her "Is he not a little too premature (99)." However the thing is that Gimpel never sleeps with her so he must not have babies. Another thing is that Elka is always with other men instead of Gimpel. At one time Gimpel catches her with another man, but she denies everything. Elka "swears and curses" him. But he continues with her even though she is not faithful to him. Gimple is good enough to persist every odd circumstances that this unfaithful women, Elka, given him over a period of time. He never makes a hue and cry over his family matters. Elka never understood how many chances he has given her to stand up to a good and respectable life which she undoubtly turns down.
The story "Gimpel the Fool" by Isaac Bashevis Singer is about a particular society that takes advantage of a young man by calling him names like "fool, imbecile donkey dope" (Singer, Pg 96). They also make fun of him by telling him lies. The story gives the reader insight about reality, that i...
