"Rebellion is individual action; it has nothing to do with the crowd. Rebellion has nothing to do with politics, power, or violence. Rebellion has something to do with changing your consciousness, your silence, your being." (Osho, 1987) The word for the future is rebellion. Often, people are inclined to believe that rebellion is an attempt to revolutionize the customs and lifestyles that are familiar and safe. However, they are ignorant to the importance of variety in society. Rebellion is one result of the battle between individuality and cultural expectations. Individuality is a necessity for variety, as variety is a necessity in society. The few people who understand the value of variety in society, know the importance of what it contributes; beauty, richness and colour. The novel The Gift of Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok and the film The War, Written by Cathy McWorter, both embrace the theme of cultural rebellion and illustrate its significance through the use of style, symbols and setting as they affect the beliefs and family customs of the protagonists. In both pieces of work, the authors" initial method to the development of theme is the style in which they have written. .
An author's writing style is one of the most effective instruments for the emphasis of thematic importance within a plot. While style may contain several components, the two that are the most complimentary to the theme is the literary devices and syntax. In the novel The Gift of Asher Lev, an atmosphere pertinent to the theme of rebellion is created through the strategic use of syntax. The tone of the novel is one of nostalgia and thoughtfulness as the main character, the artist Asher Lev, recounts the events surrounding the issue of cultural friction that arises from his gift for art. In the novel, the closed world of Orthodox Jewry frown upon those who practise the visual arts and it is regarded as a harmful distraction from the duty of a virtuous Jew.
