In the book there are multiple reason for why the fiddler represents life, but for me the prologue and the ending monolog by Tevye are the examples helped me to understand the symbolism of the fiddler.
“A fiddler on the roof, sounds crazy, no? But in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn’t easy. You may ask, why do we stay up here if it’s so dangerous? We stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word-Tradition.”The quotation above is from the prologue of, “Fiddler on the Roof." I think this is a great example of the fiddler and it's symbolism. When Tevye says that every villager is like a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant tune without breaking his neck, to me this cements the idea that the fiddler is life in Anatevka.It means that everyday the villagers work hard and risk their lives with all the Russians there but they continue to do it because thats what you do in Anatevka.
In a visual aspect at the end of the book when all the villagers are leaving Tevye and his family are about to go but he sops and beckons for the fiddler to come with them. This shows me that the fiddler represent life in Anatevka because even though they are leaving the small village, they will always have it with them. And they will also continue to live the way they did in Anatevka.
Your idea is clearly developed and adequately supported. However, in using the prologue, you'll need to address the concept discussed in class, that Tevye is explaining how tradition helps provide balance in his life, symbolized by the Fiddler's balancing act. So, yes, the Fiddler represents life in Anatevka, generally, but tradition, specifically.
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