The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery that Holds the Secret of America's Future

Baruch Nouriel Kaplan, commonly called Nouriel in the novel, is the protagonist of the work, forming both the narrator of the story as it is told to the reader, and as the narrator within the frame of Kaplan reporting to Goren. Kaplan is a journalist, and he is well-known enough that Goren recognizes his name. Over the course of the novel, Kaplan is progressively convinced by the prophet that recent American events are harbingers, or omens, of the judgment of ancient Israel. In the beginning of the novel, Kaplan is nervous that Goren will not believe his story, which allows the reader to envision Kaplan as a believer in the prophet’s story, though he is not convinced in his own ability to bring this message to the world. As such, Kaplan is portrayed as humble, rarely overstepping either Goren or the prophet’s words, unless making a joke. His frequent jokes with the prophet characterize Kaplan as anxious, as his facetious comments occur in times when the prophecy or story is tense. This also breaks the seriousness of the prophet’s narrative, which makes a skeptical reader more likely to keep reading. The role Kaplan serves in the novel is that of a scribe, as the prophet eventually appoints Kaplan to be his scribe, and his purpose as a scribe is to spread the message of the prophet.