Super Short Summary

In The Assistant by Bernard Malamud, Morris Bober, an elderly Jewish grocer in Brooklyn, struggles with his failing business, exacerbated by a new competitor. After being brutally robbed, Morris is helped by Frank Alpine, one of his assailants who feels guilty for the crime and offers to work for free. Despite some successes and romantic developments between Frank and Morris’ daughter Helen, their relationships face challenges, culminating in a series of moral dilemmas that reveal deeper questions about forgiveness, redemption, and cultural identity. Sensitive topics include sexual assault and violence.