Jo’s matchmaking skills are even better than those of Yente the matchmaker! She already helped me discover the chiasmus in How to Train Your Dragon 2, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, The Lion King, The Hunt for Red October, and Tron: Legacy. And now she’s here again to reveal the symmetry in Fiddler on the Roof, one of my favorite films.

She sent me a huge chiasmus and asked me to fiddle around with it and tighten it up. This is what I pared it down to.

The Chiasmus

A. A fiddler is shown playing a melody on Tevye’s roof. Tevye, the milkman, explains that “A fiddler on the roof” is a metaphor that symbolizes the Jewish people in Anatevka.
 B. The song “Tradition” introduces the Jewish town of Anatevka in the tail end of Tsarist Russia. The traditions and roles of the Jewish people are established.
  C. The Russians that make up the larger circle of the village are introduced. Later in the day, Tevye dances on the way home, while his horse limps behind.
   D. Yente the matchmaker arrives at Tevye’s house with a match for Tzeitel, while they are preparing for the Sabbath.
    E. Yente enters the house to tell Golde that she’ll find matches for all her daughters. Golde shoos Motel Kamzoil, the tailor, away.
     F. Yente says Lazar Wolf, the butcher, has his eye on Tzeitel. Yente tells Golde to let Lazar convince Tevye to agree to the marriage.
      G. As Yente leaves, Hodel, Chava, Tzeitel, Shprintze, and Bielke prepare for the Sabbath. They sing “Matchmaker” about the kind of men they want to marry.
       H. Tevye comes home with his now-lame horse. He is enraged by Golde’s nagging, and he talks to God to vent his frustrations. His daily routine continues.
        I. In his barn, Tevye sings “If I Were a Rich Man” imagining all of the big things he would do if he was rich, instead of poor.
         J. The Russian Constable wishes Tevye a good Sabbath. Avram reads aloud some news that all the Jews in a village called Rajanka were evicted.
          K. Perchik introduces himself to the townsfolk as a university student from Kiev. He calls out the inaction of the older men from Anatevka.
           L. Perchik shares his radical opinions and political beliefs. This marks the beginning of Tevye encountering ideas that challenge his old ways of thinking.
            M. Tevye introduces Perchik to his daughters. Hodel leaves Perchik stunned.
             N. Motel is unable to ask to marry Tzeitel after Tevye agrees to meet with Lazar Wolf. Jewish families throughout Anatevka observe the Sabbath in a traditional manner.
              O. Tevye goes to talk to Lazar Wolf at his house. Tevye considers whether or not Lazar is the right match for Tzeitel.
               P. Tevye agrees to the match between Tzeitel and Lazar Wolf. They go to the tavern and announce the good news.
                Q. Local Russian men sing congratulations to Tevye. When the dancing and drinks are done, Tevye and Lazar Wolf embrace and say a happy goodbye.
                 R. The Constable congratulates Tevye and gives him some news as a warning: Their district will have a “demonstration” sometime soon.
                  S. Perchik teaches Shprintze and Bielke a Bible lesson with his Marxist interpretation. He then dances with Hodel, which defies a Jewish custom.
                   T. A hungover Tevye tells Golde that he gave Lazar Wolf permission to marry Tzeitel. Golde is happy about it, but Tzeitel doesn’t love him.
                    U. Motel tells Tevye he has a match for Tzeitel: himself. Tevye deliberates and finally gives them permission to marry.
                     V. After receiving permission to marry, Motel and Tzeitel happily run together in the woods and sing.
                      W. Chava meets Fyedka, after he gets the other young Russian men to leave her alone. She is upset and tries to leave his presence, but he offers her a book and she accepts.
                       X. At bedtime, Tevye tells his “dream” to Golde and convinces her that Tzeitel is supposed to marry Motel.
                        Y. Motel prepares for the wedding and puts on his tall wedding hat.
                         Z. A Russian Official orders the Constable to carry out the planned pogrom on threat of replacement.
                          AA. As the sun goes down, the Jews of Anatevka walk together in a procession with candles, to the location of the wedding.
                           BB. The wedding ceremony takes place according to the Jewish tradition. Afterwards, the party splits, and the men and the women dance apart from each other.
                            CC. Tevye accepts a gift of chickens from Lazar Wolf, but a quarrel breaks out over their broken agreement. The Rabbi says, “Let’s sit down.”
                            CC. Everyone sits down in accordance with the Rabbi’s advice. But Tevye tells Lazar that he can keep his chickens, reigniting their quarrel.
                           BB. Perchik breaks traditional Jewish wedding barriers. Then he dances with Hodel, leading other men and women to dance together.
                          AA. In the dark of night, the Russians run to the location of the wedding party with torches.
                         Z. The Russian mob carries out their pogrom, with the Constable telling Tevye, “Orders are orders.”
                        Y. The people of Anatevka clean up the mess and end the wedding party.
                       X. During harvest time, Tevye talks to God about Motel and Tzeitel’s poor but happy married life.
                      W. Perchik talks to Hodel, since he’s leaving to take part in the revolution the next day. Hodel is upset and tries to leave his presence, but he proposes to her and she accepts.
                     V. After Hodel accepts Perchik’s offer of marriage, they happily hold hands and walk across a field.
                    U. Perchik and Hodel tell Tevye they’re engaged. Tevye deliberates and finally gives them both his blessing and his permission to marry.
                   T. A struggling Tevye tells Golde that he gave Hodel and Perchik permission to be engaged. Golde is upset about it, and Tevye learns that she loves him.
                  S. Perchik speaks to common people in Kiev to raise support for a Marxist revolution. He then gets arrested for defying Russian law.
                 R. Yente and Tzeitel discuss some news regarding Perchik that Hodel will want to know, since it involves his arrest during a demonstration.
                Q. Hodel sings “Far From the Home I Love” to Tevye. When the train arrives, Hodel and Tevye embrace and say a tearful goodbye.
               P. The Rabbi and other Jewish men discuss the law. Avram has bad news about the outside world.
              O. The village of Anatevka shows up to see the new arrival at Motel and Tzeitel’s. Golde realizes she was wrong about Motel as a match for Tzeitel.
             N. Fyedka is unable to ask to marry Chava after which Tevye forbids Chava from seeing him. Later, Golde goes to the local Russian Orthodox Church to find Chava.
            M. Golde informs Tevye that Chava and Fyedka eloped. Tevye is stunned by this news.
           L. Chava begs Tevye to accept her and Fyedka’s radical marriage. This marks the point where Tevye finally finds the limit to the challenges to his beliefs that he’ll put up with.
          K. Yente introduces a pair of boys to Golde, as matches for Shprintze and Bielke. One of them calls out Yente’s misidentification of him.
         J. The Constable brings Tevye bad news. He reads aloud an order that all the Jews are being evicted from Anatevka.
        I. The Jews sing “Anatevka,” reflecting on their poor town, and how they will miss all of the little things their simple life afforded them.
       H. The Rabbi and his son leave the synagogue with their belongings. The Rabbi is sad, and he prays as he goes. The departure from Anatevka begins.
      G. Yente bids Golde farewell and tells her that she’s going to The Holy Land. Afterwards, Tevye and Golde discuss their married daughters.
     F. Lazar Wolf stops by to say goodbye to Tevye. They hug each other and leave on good terms, despite their earlier disagreement over Tzeitel’s marriage.
    E. Chava and Fyedka unexpectedly come to say goodbye to the family. Tevye and Golde wish them well as they go away.
   D. Motel arrives at Tevye’s house with his family’s belongings, and he and Tzeitel say goodbye to her family and part ways.
  C. Tevye’s small circle of immediate family members, Golde, Shprintze, and Bielke leave their home. He trudges his way to a new home, while his family limps behind.
 B. The Jews leave Anatevka, and they all part ways, leaving Tsarist Russia for America, the Holy Land, etc. They continue to pray together and hold to their traditions.
A. The fiddler follows Tevye, playing the same melody he did in the beginning. This symbolizes that Tevye is taking his traditions away from Anatevka’s precarious “roof.”

Expanded Versions of Selections from the Chiasmus

As I said at the start, Jo originally sent me an incredibly long version of this chiasmus. And she invited me to condense it into something much shorter. My first attempt wasn’t quite short enough, but it still makes for interesting reading. So I’d like to share some of it below, like I used to expand on the short summary in my pre-2024 Cinematic Chiasmus articles. I hope you enjoy the additional details that match up in each of these points.

L. Tevye Reaches His Breaking Point

Around Tevye’s cart, Perchik shares his opinions and political beliefs, which are different from what Tevye is accustomed to. Perchik is reluctant to accept a piece of cheese from Tevye, considering it to be a violation of his principles to accept a gift, but he does it for Tevye’s sake. Perchik shares his goals with Tevye, and says that in the meantime, he gives lessons to children. The Rabbi’s son thinks he’s a radical. Perchik agrees to teach Tevye’s daughters in exchange for provisions and lodging. This marks the beginning of Tevye encountering ideas that challenge his old ways of thinking.

Chava finds Tevye by his cart, and begs him to accept her and Fyedka, even though they are different from what Tevye is accustomed to. Tevye is reluctant to accept them, and he considers the dilemma between choosing his faith and people and his own daughter. He realizes that he can’t bend and compromise that far, or he’ll break. So he rejects and disowns Chava, ensuring she receives neither provisions nor lodging from him anymore. This marks the point where Tevye finally finds his limit to the challenges to his beliefs that he’ll put up with.

N. Trying to Talk to Tevye

Golde convinces Tevye to talk to Lazar Wolf after the Sabbath. Meanwhile, Motel and Tzeitel talk about their desire to marry, which they need to ask permission for before it’s too late, though Motel is saving up for a sewing machine, which he hopes to buy soon. Motel finally agrees to talk to Tevye to ask for permission, but he gets cold feet and only wishes Tevye a good Sabbath. The Jewish families throughout Anatevka observe the Sabbath.

Chava and Fyedka want to marry, and Fyedka offers to ask Tevye, but Chava tells him that she’ll talk to him. Fyedka tries making conversation with Tevye, but due to the lack of response, Fyedka merely wishes him a good day. Chava asks Tevye for permission to marry Fyedka, and he gives her a resounding no. Despite their need to get home, an angry Tevye is determined to see the sewing machine before they leave. Later, when Chava leaves home with Fyedka, Golde goes to the local Russian Orthodox Church on their account.

O. Big Reveal

Tevye goes to talk to Lazar Wolf at his house. Tevye thinks Lazar Wolf wants to buy a new milk cow from him, but after a confusing conversation, Lazar reveals that he’s actually talking about wanting to marry Tzeitel. Tevye considers whether or not Lazar is the right match for Tzeitel.

The village of Anatevka shows up to see the new arrival at Motel and Tzeitel’s. The audience thinks it’s a baby, but after a long buildup it’s revealed to be Motel’s new sewing machine he’s been saving up for (as well as his baby). Golde realizes she was wrong in her original judgment of Motel as a match for Tzeitel.

Q. Bittersweet Songs and Farewells

Local Russian men sing in congratulations to the Jews, and they put Tevye into a dilemma when they offer to dance with him and he has to choose. Despite the head shakes from his friends, Tevye accepts the offer. When the dancing and drinks are done, Tevye and Lazar Wolf embrace and say goodbye, laughing over the fact that they’ll soon be family.

Hodel sings “Far From the Home I Love” to Tevye, describing the dilemma she faces in having to choose between her beloved home and Perchik, the man she loves. Despite the hardships she’ll face, Hodel chooses Perchik. When the train arrives, Hodel and Tevye embrace and say a tearful goodbye, longing to be reunited one day.

T. Engagement Announcements

A hungover Tevye tells Tzeitel and everyone nearby that Lazar Wolf asked for her hand and they are to be married. Golde is happy about it, and Perchik sarcastically congratulates Tzeitel “For getting a rich man” saying money is the world’s curse. But Tzeitel is unhappy and she doesn’t want to marry Lazar Wolf, so Tevye tells her he won’t force her. He realizes she’s not meant for a life of luxury.

A struggling Tevye tells Golde that he gave Hodel and Perchik permission to be engaged. Golde is upset about it, so Tevye gives her Perchik’s excuse of having a rich uncle. While considering how much Perchik and Hodel love each other, Tevye asks Golde, “Do You Love Me?” They both realize that they do.

U. Seeking Tevye’s Permission and Blessing

Motel shows up, and says he has a match for Tzeitel: himself. While arguing about how unusual it is, Motel accidentally reveals that he and Tzeitel gave each other a pledge the year before. Nevertheless, Motel and Tzeitel want Tevye’s permission. Tevye deliberates, but finally gives them permission to marry.

Perchik and Hodel find Tevye, and tell him about their engagement. Tevye tells them no, but they explain that they already agreed to marry a few minutes ago. So Perchik and Hodel just want his blessing, not his permission. Tevye deliberates, but finally gives them both his blessing and his permission to marry.

W. Chava and Hodel Accept Modest Proposals

Chava meets Fyedka, after he gets the other young Russian men to leave her alone. Even when she tries to leave and doesn’t want to talk to him, he gives a book to her, and they discuss the differences in who they are, and plan to meet again when she finishes the book.

Perchik talks to Hodel, since he’s leaving to take part in the revolution the next day. He tells her great changes are happening in the country, since many different people hate what’s going on. Hodel is upset and tries to leave his presence, but he proposes to her, so she accepts.

If I Were a Rich Man

It’s nice to finish off with W because the scene where Chava meets Fyedka is my favorite scene in the entire movie. I should probably write a separate article just about that scene because it’s such a huge turning point in the story.

Fiddler on the Roof is a great film, and it’s probably my favorite live-action musical. The story is so rich and universally relatable. I hope this presentation has deepened your love of it, as it has for me. I’d like to thank Jo for sending this over and working with me on whittling it down. She’s amazing!

If I were a rich man, I’d be able to thank her with more than words. But as a simple man like Tevye, for now all I can do is look to the Good Lord and trust that He will bless her as she deserves.

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.

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