The Material v. the Spiritual

Although Feld wishes the best for his daughter and wants her to find a husband who can provide her with a better life, he takes account only of material values. He thinks of himself as a practical man, which is why he favors Max as a husband for Miriam. Max is studying to be an accountant, developing knowledge of financial matters. But that is all he is interested in. He has no depth. Miriam is soon aware of this, and tells her father that Max has "no soul."

In contrast, Miriam, who seems to care little for material things, loves Sobel, who is the opposite of Max. Sobel spends much of his time reading because he wants to better himself by means of a less tangible kind of knowledge than would be taught in accountancy classes: he reads because he wants to understand the...