Clashing Values in a Society: Conflicts within Reb Smolinsky in Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers.
Values and status are linked together in every society. Status is given to the persons who embody the values of that social construct. The values of the Old Country, Russia, were those of spiritual and religious piousness and learning. Therefore those who studied religion, like Reb Smolinsky, were among those who held the highest status. However, in America, these values were not the same. Immigrants soon learned of the capitalist nature of a materialistically driven land where whoever had the most wealth held the most status. The question arises, what happens when people in a society with one set of values enter a society with different values? To assimilate successfully, the immigrant's values must undergo a change. In her novel Bread Givers, Anzia Yezierska tells the tale of an immigrant family who has difficulty coping with such a clash of values. Reb Smolinsky in particular is a character that craves his status so much so that he changes his values in America and adopts something he doesn't understand, thus ruining his family. .
Jews in Russia lived differently than they did as immigrants in America. In Russia they lived in shtetls and were a close community of Jews. It is easy to judge the values of this community through its actions. Sara Smolinsky's Mother tells her daughter stories of her life back in the Old Country. She informs her daughter of the riches she once had, and tells the story of how she was engaged to marry Reb Smolinsky. A matchmaker in Russia arranged most marriages, and Mother claims that she had suitors begging for her hand. "When I got fourteen years old, the matchmakers from all the villages, far and near, began knocking on our doors, telling my father the rich men's sons that were crazy to marry themselves to me" (Yezierska, Bread Givers 31). Still, Shenah's father did not choose a rich man to be his son-in-law.
It takes you about a minute to eat the bread. ... Not only does this describe having the bread, but it also shows the different types of bread, brown, white, rye. ... "Should you share the bread or give the whole piece to your sister? Should you eat the piece of bread yourself? ... The question is how long does it take to decide whether to eat the bread or give it to your sister. ...
In the novel, Bread Givers, author Anzia Yezierska tells the story of life as an immigrant in the Untied States. ... I want some day to make myself for a person and come among people"(Bread Givers, page 134). ... (Bread Givers, page 65) Sara's sisters could not enjoy their lives as American's because of the strong hold their father had on them. ...
The protagonists of both stories, Bigger in Native Son and Sara in Bread Givers, struggle to find their way in a harsh ethnically segregated society. ... Bread Givers is the story of a young immigrant woman living under the roof of her tyrannical father. ... Bread Givers conflict is essentially Sara versus her father. ... In Bread Givers, Sara's journey to becoming an American was difficult. ... Although, Bread Givers and Native Son are two completely different stories, they have many similarities. ...
The first thing bread makes me think about is food. ... My favorite kind of bread would definitely have to be Hawaiian bread. ... In this case, that saying applies to this type bread. ... Today it is still eaten in that way, it is very fulfilling food containing lots of carbohydrates to give you energy but if eaten too much, it can result in some bathroom problems. ... Some of sayings are "To earn one's bread," " The bread of life," and the one most recognizable to me is "Putting bread on the table." ...
Amy's Bread was founded in 1992, served about 50 wholesale customers in Manhattan. (25-1). ... Amy's Bread had several competitors. ... They were all larger than Amy's Bread and well established... Baking bread. ... Her savings were not enough to cover the expense, the bank agreed to give her a loan of $150,000. ...
The Struggle in Bread Givers Four Works Cited Several changes have occurred since the 1920s in traditional family values and the family life. ... In Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers, Sara and her father have different opinions of what the daughters' role should be. ... Abstract The paper introduces, discusses and analyzes the book "Bread Givers" by Yezierska. ... She wrote "Bread Givers" in 1925. ... Freedom is Not Free in Bread Givers Four works Cited Anzia Yezierska in Bread Givers and "Children of Loneliness" explores the theme of reconciling assimilation to American cult...
HOW TO MAKE BREAD There are many steps and techniques to making bread. But although formulas may vary, if you understand 9 basic steps to baking bread, it can be used as a guideline for making any yeast-raised product. ... Over mixing will give a let-down or complete breakdown, of the dough. ... By following these 9 steps, you can make the perfect bread. ...
Throughout the novel Bread and Wine, author Ignazio Silone uses different stories and anecdotes of peasant characters as both a break from the main plot and to help understand the main character, Pietro Spina/Don Paolo Spada better. ... The roles the characters of Murica and Uliva play in Bread and Wine allow Silone to tell his personal experiences of his involvement in the Communist party in Italy through different attributes of each character. ... A policeman offered to not arrest him, as well as give him money in return for information about the cell he was involved in (234). ... Furthermo...
Tunes connect people of the same taste together, give people chances to meet new friends who may be lifelong companions standing by them in the future. ... Firstly, the role of women is being changed from housewives to bread-winners in the family. ...
