"Eli, The Fanatic" is a short story about a young lawyer dealing with ethical issues in his community. He is torn apart in his decision of choosing between a "man in a lawyer's suit" and his neighborhood. We find that Eli is trapped in between two conflicting cultures. He, himself has assimilated with his Protestant neighbors and wishes that the Jewish man in the old, black suit would do the same. Eli is driven to the extreme by trying to get the poor, unfortunate man to change his attire consequently his identity. .
In the beginning Eli seems focused and put together. Yet, we find that Eli is disoriented because of his wife, career and surroundings. He urges the "man in the suit" to take off his black one and put on Eli's green, lawyer suit. The Black suit makes Eli crazy because it represents old, traditional, European ways. By changing suits, Eli is making the man change his culture. The Black suit shows that the "man" is not assimilated, especially since all the Jewish, traditional, males wear them. It represents their isolationism from the world. The men that wear the Black suits have their own attire, language and culture. Eli is persistent on getting the man a new suit. Mr. Tzuref responds to Eli, "The suit the gentleman wears is all he's got." Now logically speaking the man can get a new suit but by giving it up, he is developing a whole new identity. The Jews that have come to Woodenton are survivors of the Holocaust. The Black signifies the morbid colors of pain and anguish that !.
these men suffered. They have been deprived of their freedom, religion and family; all they have left are these suits. .
The community is quite disturbed that some strange individual comes to glance through and shop in their town. The town's people don't like change. They want to avoid it all costs. They are afraid of what could happen if their community changes. "Next thing they"ll be after our daughters." (302) Eli's wife, Miriam agrees with the rest of her neighbors that the "man in the suit" should just leave their community.
