The Jewish Immigrant Experience in Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers and Mary Antin's The Promised Land

I was born, I have lived, and I have been made over. Is it not time to write my life’s story? […] It is because I understand my history, in its larger outlines, to be typical of many, that I consider it worth recording. My life is a concrete illustration of a multitude of statistical facts. […] I am only one of many whose fate it has been to live a page of modern history. We are the strands of the cable that binds the Old World to the New (Antin,PL13-5)2.
I suddenly realized that I had come back to where I had started twenty years ago when I began my fight for freedom. […] And now I realized that the shadow of the burden was always following me, and here I stood face to face with it again. […] But I felt the shadow still there, over me. It wasn’t just my father, but the generations who made my father whose weight was still upon me (Yezierska,BG295-7)3.
These are two quotations by two immigrant women - both experiencing an incisive and complete change in their young lives through the immigration from Eastern Europe to the United States of America at the end of the nineteenth century. This thesis investigates their individual immigrant experience that they claim to be representative of the lives of many. Immigration has always exerted a great influence on American life. Towards the turn to the 20thcentury, the United States was confronted with the largest stage of immigration ithe nation’s history. From 1890 on, a total of twenty million people entered the country until the 1920s (cf. Di Pietro, Ifkovic 6). Immigrants at the time were mainly from Southern and Eastern Europe; the largest groups were formed by Italians, Hebrews, Polish, Germans and English (cf. Gabbacia 140). On the one hand, the rapidly developing “economic expansion” (139) in the US required human labor; on the other hand, life in Europe was determined by famine and epidemics as well as political and religious persecution, to outline briefly the most important reasons for this big wave of migration.
The conflict between the immigrants’ expectations of a better life in the New World and the actual living conditions as well as the political climate the immigrants had to face in the United States has been treated in literature in many ways. The examination of cultural or ethnic identity and the process of assimilation, in this case Americanization, and its effects are very important issues in immigration literature as well.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Definitions and Theoretical Considerations
• 2.1. The Concept of Ethnicity
• 2.1.1. Ethnicity and Ethnic Identity
• 2.1.2. Ethnicity in American Society
• 2.2. Ethnic Writing
• 2.2.1. The Role of Ethnicity in American Literature - What is Ethnic Writing?
• 2.2.2. Jewish-American Literature
• 2.3. To Write Your Life Story - Autobiographical Writing
• 2.3.1. What is Autobiography?
• 2.3.2. The Construction of Authenticity
• 2.4. Autobiography in Ethnic Contexts - An Attempt to define Immigrant Autobiography
• 3. Reading Mary Antin's The Promised Land as Immigrant Autobiography
• 3.1. One-Way Assimilation - From the Old World shtetl Girl to the New England Woman
• 3.2. The Story Behind the Immigrant Classic
• 4. Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers
• 4.1. Difficulties and Struggles in the Process of Assimilation
• 4.2. The Father-Daughter-Relationship as a Reflection of the Immigrant Dilemma
• 5. Conclusion
• 6. Works Cited

Objectives and Key Themes

This thesis examines the Jewish immigrant experience in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the works of Anzia Yezierska and Mary Antin, specifically focusing on their autobiographical writings. The main objective is to analyze how these authors act as literary agents of ethnicity, mediating between their Old World experiences and their new lives in America. The thesis explores the process of assimilation, the construction of authenticity in autobiographical writing, and the relationship between personal narratives and broader historical contexts of immigration.

• The process of assimilation for Jewish immigrants in America.
• The role of autobiography in representing the immigrant experience.
• The construction of authenticity in immigrant narratives.
• The relationship between personal experience and broader historical trends of immigration.
• The literary representation of ethnicity and cultural identity.

Chapter Summaries

1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the thesis by presenting two contrasting quotes from Anzia Yezierska and Mary Antin, highlighting their shared experience of transformative immigration from Eastern Europe to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. The chapter introduces the context of mass immigration to the US during this period, noting the large influx of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, including Italians, Hebrews, Poles, Germans and English, driven by both economic opportunities in the US and dire conditions in Europe. The chapter then focuses on the literary treatment of the Jewish immigrant experience, emphasizing the rise of Jewish women's autobiographies as a new genre. Finally, the chapter narrows the focus to Yezierska and Antin’s works, choosing *Bread Givers* and *The Promised Land* for their contrasting depictions of assimilation—complete assimilation in Antin’s work versus the struggles depicted in Yezierska’s—and establishing the thesis's aim to analyze both authors as literary agents of ethnicity who utilize autobiography to bridge the Old and New Worlds.

2. Definitions and Theoretical Considerations: This chapter lays the groundwork for the analysis by defining key concepts. It explores the concept of ethnicity and ethnic identity, examining its role in American society and within American literature. The chapter then delves into the specifics of ethnic writing, particularly Jewish-American literature, and the significance of autobiography, analyzing the construction of authenticity within autobiographical narratives, especially within the context of immigrant experience. The chapter concludes by attempting to define immigrant autobiography, setting the theoretical framework for analyzing Antin and Yezierska's works.

3. Reading Mary Antin's The Promised Land as Immigrant Autobiography: This chapter focuses on Mary Antin's *The Promised Land*, analyzing it as an example of immigrant autobiography. It examines Antin's narrative of assimilation, tracing her transformation from a young girl in the Old World to a New England woman. The chapter explores the themes of cultural adjustment, personal growth, and the complexities of identity formation within the context of immigration. This is contrasted to the complexities of immigration experienced by Yezierska.

4. Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers: This chapter undertakes a detailed analysis of Anzia Yezierska's *Bread Givers*. It explores the difficulties and struggles faced by the immigrant characters during the process of assimilation, analyzing the themes of cultural conflict, family dynamics, and the challenges of balancing tradition and modernity. Specifically, the chapter examines the father-daughter relationship within the context of the broader immigrant dilemma. The chapter also shows how this differs from Antin's narrative.

Keywords

Jewish immigrant experience, Americanization, assimilation, autobiography, ethnic writing, Jewish-American literature, Mary Antin, Anzia Yezierska, The Promised Land, Bread Givers, cultural identity, authenticity.

Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Jewish Immigrant Experience in the Works of Mary Antin and Anzia Yezierska

What is the main topic of this thesis?

This thesis examines the Jewish immigrant experience in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the autobiographical writings of Anzia Yezierska and Mary Antin. It analyzes how these authors portray their transition from their Old World experiences to their new lives in America, focusing on the processes of assimilation and the construction of authenticity in their narratives.

What are the key themes explored in the thesis?

The key themes include the process of assimilation for Jewish immigrants in America, the role of autobiography in representing the immigrant experience, the construction of authenticity in immigrant narratives, the relationship between personal experience and broader historical trends of immigration, and the literary representation of ethnicity and cultural identity.

Which authors' works are analyzed in this thesis?

The thesis focuses on the autobiographical works of Mary Antin (The Promised Land) and Anzia Yezierska (Bread Givers). These works are chosen for their contrasting depictions of assimilation – Antin's representing a more complete assimilation, while Yezierska's highlights the struggles involved.

How are the contrasting experiences of Antin and Yezierska presented?

The thesis contrasts the narratives of Antin and Yezierska to highlight different facets of the assimilation process. Antin's The Promised Land is presented as a narrative of successful assimilation, while Yezierska's Bread Givers focuses on the difficulties and conflicts inherent in that process, particularly within the family dynamic.

What is the significance of autobiography in this study?

Autobiography plays a crucial role as it allows for a direct examination of the immigrant experience through the authors' personal narratives. The thesis analyzes how the construction of authenticity within these autobiographies shapes the representation of their experiences and the portrayal of cultural identity.

What theoretical framework is used in the analysis?

The thesis establishes a theoretical framework by defining key concepts such as ethnicity, ethnic identity, ethnic writing, and immigrant autobiography. It explores the role of these concepts in shaping the authors' narratives and understanding the broader context of Jewish immigration to America.

What are the chapter summaries?

The thesis includes chapters on the introduction, establishing the context and aims; definitions and theoretical considerations providing a framework for analysis; an in-depth analysis of The Promised Land; a detailed analysis of Bread Givers; and a concluding chapter summarizing the findings.

What are the objectives of the thesis?

The main objective is to analyze how Antin and Yezierska act as literary agents of ethnicity, mediating between their Old World experiences and their new lives in America. The thesis aims to understand the complexities of assimilation, the role of autobiography in shaping identity, and the relationship between personal narratives and broader historical contexts.

What are the key words associated with this thesis?

Key words include: Jewish immigrant experience, Americanization, assimilation, autobiography, ethnic writing, Jewish-American literature, Mary Antin, Anzia Yezierska, The Promised Land, Bread Givers, cultural identity, authenticity.

Details

• College: University of Hannover (American Studies)
• Grade: 1,7
• Author: Birgit Wieking (Author)
• Publication Year: 2006
• Pages: 79
• Catalog Number: V65579
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638581073
• ISBN (Book): 9783656795001
• Language: English
• Tags: Jewish Immigrant Experience Anzia Yezierska Bread Givers Mary Antin Promised Land