Aubrey holds a Ph.D. in English. In this essay, he considers the character development of Feld in Malamud's story "The First Seven Years. "

Although "The First Seven Years" is one of a number of stories by Malamud that feature Jewish characters who live in New York City, there are few details that locate the story in a specific place. These details help to give the story the plain and timeless quality of the folk tale or Biblical narrative. It is indeed loosely inspired by the Genesis story of Jacob's love for Rebecca and his willingness to serve Laban for seven years to win her hand.

The absence of a clearly defined or complex external setting—the reader is told only that it is February and it is snowing—also conveys the fact that "The First Seven Years" is essentially an internal drama. It shows...