Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska: Story of Life as an Immigrant in the Untied States
Brittney Dollison
In the novel, Bread Givers, author Anzia Yezierska tells the story of life as an immigrate in the Untied States. For many immigrates, the U.S. was the way to insure a better life for themselves, and their family; a life without the constant worry of money, and of the injustice religious ways. Sara's father lectures his wife about not needing a feather bed "Don't you know it is always summer in America? And in the new golden country, where milk and honey flows free in the streets, you'll have new golden dishes to cook in."(Bread Givers, 9) This quote sates that she doesn’t need a feather bed, because its never going to be cold in America, and that her life will be filled with luxurious things while arriving. The sad realization that America was not a land of golden pathways and free items came very fast. Swamped with people, New York's Lower Side became a place of poverty for most people. Immigrates found themselves living in poor areas, where grim and disease run out of control. Although, according to Yezierska, life as a female immigrate was far worse for her. In the 1920's, immigrates gender ultimately decided what experience he/she would have in America, for it was better to be a male than a female. Russia and America looked upon two different beliefs, it was told that the only reason a women was on earth was to make her husband happy which in America we know that that is surely not the case, and if anything it’s now become to where it’s the mans job to keep his wife happy. This clash of conceptions was the cause of numerous disputes. This can be seen after the father drove away Jacob, Bessie's true love. Sara titles him "...a tyrant more terrible than the Tsar from Russia."(Bread Givers, 65) Sara's sisters could not enjoy their lives as American's because of the unbearable strong hold their father had on them. As Sara watches her sisters one by one leap into lifeless marriages, she promises herself not to be like them. All of this
In the novel, Bread Givers, author Anzia Yezierska tells the story of life as an immigrate in the Untied States. For many immigrates, the U.S. was the way to insure a better life for themselves, and their family; a life without the constant worry of money, and of the injustice religious ways. Sara's father lectures his wife about not needing a feather bed "Don't you know it is always summer in America? And in the new golden country, where milk and honey flows free in the streets, you'll have new golden dishes to cook in."(Bread Givers, 9) This quote sates that she doesn’t need a feather bed, because its never going to be cold in America, and that her life will be filled with luxurious things while arriving. The sad realization that America was not a land of golden pathways and free items came very fast. Swamped with people, New York's Lower Side became a place of poverty for most people. Immigrates found themselves living in poor areas, where grim and disease run out of control. Although, according to Yezierska, life as a female immigrate was far worse for her. In the 1920's, immigrates gender ultimately decided what experience he/she would have in America, for it was better to be a male than a female. Russia and America looked upon two different beliefs, it was told that the only reason a women was on earth was to make her husband happy which in America we know that that is surely not the case, and if anything it’s now become to where it’s the mans job to keep his wife happy. This clash of conceptions was the cause of numerous disputes. This can be seen after the father drove away Jacob, Bessie's true love. Sara titles him "...a tyrant more terrible than the Tsar from Russia."(Bread Givers, 65) Sara's sisters could not enjoy their lives as American's because of the unbearable strong hold their father had on them. As Sara watches her sisters one by one leap into lifeless marriages, she promises herself not to be like them. All of this